Sea turtles do not live in one place for a long time. Once a season, before going ashore and laying eggs, female sea turtles leave their place and swim somewhere. Sometimes they travel thousands of kilometers in search of some shore known only to them. It turns out that their travels are not aimless at all.

Sea turtles lay eggs only in those places where they themselves were born. Thus, turtles living off the coast of Brazil swim to lay eggs to the Ascension Islands, which is a 2,250-kilometer journey across the ocean. Biologists still cannot explain exactly how sea turtles find their homeland, but they lay their eggs there.

The olive sea turtle is especially notable; representatives of this species gather to mate on one day on some beach and many thousands of turtles lay millions of eggs almost simultaneously; this phenomenon is known as “arribida” (Spanish advent). The Atlantic ridley, on the verge of extinction, breeds only on one beach in the world, located in Mexico.

Females reach sexual maturity at about 30 years of age, when for the first time in their lives they return to the beach where they once hatched. During the entire nesting year, which occurs once every two or four years, the female lays from four to seven clutches of 150-200 eggs. Mating of turtles occurs in water, in coastal zone.

The method of laying a clutch is the same among all species of sea turtles: the female looks for a suitable place on the beach and begins to rake the sand with her hind legs until a round depression 40-50 centimeters deep is formed. The female lays eggs in this hole (their number depends on many factors), after which she fills it with sand and carefully compacts it, making the clutch as inconspicuous as possible. The whole process takes about an hour, after which the female returns to the ocean and no longer cares for her offspring.

Incubation period lasts about two months and directly depends on the temperature of the sand in which the masonry is buried. The future sex of turtles also depends on temperature: males develop at lower temperatures, females at higher temperatures. After the incubation period, small turtles break through the shell with a special egg tooth and climb out into the air through the thickness of the sand.

In 2007, it was proven that green turtles spend the first five years after their birth in so-called Sargassum beds, large free-floating algal formations. They feed on zooplankton and small nekton, and then this stage During their lifetime, almost all turtles become herbivores.

Turtle meat is considered a delicacy, and this is the main reason for the extermination of many turtle species by humans. The Indonesian Sea Turtle Conservation Center has been trying to save this species from extinction for many years; the movement has now received support all over the world and even on the island of Bali, the former main center for the turtle trade, they have implemented a program to protect them.

Kosgoda is a small village on the shores of the Indian Ocean, this place is famous for the fact that there is a turtle farm here, founded in 1978. Many years have passed since then and during this time there have already been six farms in Kosgoda alone, they are multiplying throughout the southwestern coast.

Under the supervision of the turtle farm staff, you can not only photograph the turtles, but also pet them, hold them in your hands, and feed them. As a separate service, guests are invited to release three-day-old turtles into the ocean. A visit to the Kosgoda Turtles Farm in Sri Lanka will be interesting not only for adults, but also for families with children and couples.

Questions and answers about visiting the turtle farm

How much is the entrance fee to the turtle farm in Kosgod?

Entrance fee to the turtle farm: 500 Rs. note that the cost of tickets to other turtle centers should not differ; if they ask for more, it means that some kind of intermediary is included in the price.

How many species of sea turtles are there in Sri Lanka?

In total, five species of sea turtles swim to the shores of the island to lay eggs:

1. Green Turtle - Chelonia Mydas;
2. Loggerhead sea turtle or loggerhead turtle - Caretta caretta;
3. Hawksbill turtle - Eretmochelys imbricata;
4. Olive Ridley Turtles - Lepidochelys olivacea;
5. Leatherback Turtle - Dermochelys coriacea.

Where can you see all types of sea turtles in Sri Lanka?

Although turtle farms are widespread throughout the island, all five species of Sri Lanka's sea turtles can be seen in just two places: Kosgoda and Bundala. N and the remaining turtle farms contain fewer species.

Is it possible to see turtles throughout the year, or is there a seasonality?

Turtles in Kosgod can be seen throughout the year, but the largest numbers are recorded between April and September: every night, huge females crawl ashore to lay eggs, after which they immediately return to the ocean.

At what time can you see eggs being laid and where?

Typically, sea turtles lay eggs only at night, burying them in the sand on the beaches of the island, since it is safer this way - after all, sea turtles are absolutely defenseless on land, they cannot even hide their heads in their shells. Typically, one sea turtle lays 100-200 eggs at a time. The egg laying process can last 1-2 hours, depending on conditions.

What does the process of laying eggs look like?

The sea turtle climbs ashore, crawls several tens of meters along the beach, when the place suits it, it begins to rake up the sand, preparing a hole for laying; as soon as the hole reaches a depth of about half a meter, it lays eggs. After the job is done, the female digs a hole and returns to the ocean, her mission is complete, then nature will take care of the offspring.

Why do fishermen collect turtle eggs?

As night falls, fishermen and local residents watch the shore and, when another turtle appears, they remember the place where the eggs were laid. Sea turtles lay their eggs in the sand on the beach, which is very unsafe - dogs, birds or monitor lizards can eat them. Once laid, they are collected and taken to turtle farms in Kosgoda, where they are bought by the farm owners. So, just $1 can save 10 turtles!

Is it possible to eat turtles or turtle eggs in Sri Lanka?

No, according to the laws of Sri Lanka, trading turtle eggs (whether buying or selling), as well as using eggs and meat, or preparing turtle soup is illegal. The punishment for traders of turtle eggs or meat is imprisonment and a substantial fine.

Why are sea turtle eggs soft?

Sea turtle eggs look like ping pong balls, resembling them in size and color, but with a soft shell. This special measure, provided by nature for protection - after all, when a turtle digs a hole and begins to lay eggs, they fall from a height of up to half a meter and if the shell were hard, they would simply break immediately.

What happens to turtle eggs on the farm?

After the eggs are brought to the farm, they are buried in the sand of a turtle incubator for 48-52 days until the babies hatch. An incubator (turtle hatchery) is an area fenced off from various predators, located in close proximity to the beach, in which the masonry is located; Each masonry is equipped with a plate with data - type, date of laying.

Why do we need sand signs on farms?

So as not to miss the moment of hatching of turtles. The length of time they spend in the sand, as well as the future sex of the turtles, directly depends on its temperature. After the allotted time, the turtle breaks through the shell and climbs out. Then turtle nature turns on, newborn turtles rush to the ocean, where they spend another 2 days swimming continuously. It is this moment for turtles hatched in natural conditions, is the first serious test, because predators around are not asleep.

Why are hatchling turtles placed in swimming pools?

To increase the survival rate of young individuals. After hatching, newborn turtles are placed in special small pools, separate for each species, for 3 days. They need this time to prepare for their own journey. It is after 3 days that the already grown turtles are released into the ocean.

How often can you see turtles being released into the ocean?

This unforgettable spectacle can be seen every night! The turtles return here only after 30 years, having reached sexual maturity, only then to lay their offspring here themselves.

Sea turtles of Sri Lanka

Kosgoda Turtle Farms

Kosgoda Tortoise Centers are famous for their albino pets, which are extremely rare, with only one albino per 40-50,000 eggs. At the same time, the life expectancy of albino turtles is only 20-30 years, while that of ordinary turtles is 150-200 years. The life of such a white turtle is extremely difficult, because its natural color is not able to camouflage it, thereby protecting it, and therefore in wildlife they practically never occur.

The turtle farms in Kosgod also house turtles whose physical condition would not allow them to survive in the wild (missing limbs, blindness) - mainly those that have fallen prey to predators, motor boats or fishing nets. Such turtles are nursed and treated here.

For example, the Kosgoda Sea Turtles conversation center farm alone has already released more than 4,000,000 turtles. The center exists solely on donations and income from tourists visiting it and has no state support. There is a small souvenir shop at the center; various souvenirs with turtle symbols are sold there, and the money from the sale goes to the maintenance and development of the farm.

Turtles are the most ancient of modern reptiles. They descended directly from the ancestors of all reptile cotylosaurs almost 300 million years ago. Today, the way of life of turtles is not much different from the life of other reptiles - their shell, consisting of a dorsal shield - the carapace and an abdominal shield - the plastron, turned out to be such an effective defense against enemies. The carapace, in turn, consists of bone plates with which the ribs and processes of the vertebrae are fused. The plastron plates were formed from the clavicles and abdominal ribs. The carapace is essentially a “box” consisting of two shields. Depending on the habitat, the upper dorsal shield can be dome-shaped (in land turtles), flat (in freshwater species) or smooth and teardrop-shaped (in sea turtles).
Turtles live about 100 years. The record was set by a gigantic tortoise from the Seychelles: caught as an adult, it lived in captivity for 152 years! To determine the age of a turtle, it is enough to count the concentric rings on the scutes of its carapace: each corresponds to a year of life. This is not always easy: after 12 years, shell growth slows down, and the rings on the scutes of old animals simply wear off, becoming almost invisible. Then scientists focus on the size and mass of animals. For example, a female Balkan tortoise that is 17 cm long should be between 40 and 60 years old.

LAND TURTLES (Testudinidae)
Turtles feed exclusively on plant foods: succulent grass and leaves, shoots and twigs of trees. They love to drink water, but for a long time they can eat or drink nothing and still feel great. During the period when the turtle does not have enough food, it hibernates.
Instead of teeth, there are horny plates on the jaws, with the help of which these animals chew food.
In case of impending danger, this reptile is able to hide the soft parts of the body - head, legs and tail - inside its hard armor. And the color of the shell usually blends in with the environment and helps the turtle remain unnoticed by the keen eye of the enemy. But even such disguise sometimes still does not save the animal from death. Some predators manage to gnaw the shell, and large birds throwing turtles off high altitude straight onto sharp rocks. From the cracked shell, they peck all the insides and feast on the tender meat of the turtles.
The turtle moves very slowly on land. In a whole day she can walk no more than 6 km.
Before the appearance of numerous offspring, the female digs the ground with her hind legs, lays 10-15 white eggs in a hole and immediately leaves them. After some time, the shells begin to crack, and young turtles emerge from them. They are able to independently get out of the sand hole and go in search of food.
The tropics are home to many species of turtles, which are distinguished by their outstanding size and bright colors. Most often, turtles settle not in deserts and steppes, but in tropical forests: there is more food here and life is more diverse.

One of the most amazing is the elephant turtle. This giant of the reptile world inhabited the Galapagos Islands, where he reigned for many centuries, eating rich greenery and taking baths in shallow ponds. Another turtle, a resident of the Seychelles, is also quite impressive. Due to its size, the turtle received the name “gigantic”. Both of them have shell sizes on average of 80-100 cm and weigh from 100 to 120 kg. Some specimens reach 120-150 cm and weigh 200 kg or more. Moreover, their age can exceed 150 years.
The turtle's massive columnar legs support its large, heavy body. The height of the turtle is 1 m, the length of the shell is 1.5 m. These turtles have long necks and legs, the shell is curved upward over the head. Thanks to this, they can stretch to their full height and reach the lower branches of the tree with their mouth.
These giants survived and reached this age only thanks to isolation on remote oceanic islands. Their size protected the turtles from almost any predator that lived on the islands, but with the arrival of humans in the tropics, everything changed: they began to be exterminated for their tasty meat. Dogs and rats brought by humans destroyed turtle nests and hunted baby turtles. So giant tortoises would have completely disappeared from the face of the Earth if people had not come to their senses and began to protect them and breed them in captivity. Only the creation of reserves in the twentieth century and breeding in some zoos stopped their complete destruction.
In the wild, these turtles can now only be found on the Apdabra Atoll in Indian Ocean. The Italian zoologist F. Prosperi, who visited there, described them as follows: “... it was the kingdom of giant turtles. With slow, calm movements they stretched out their wrinkled necks. Their appearance was extraordinary - the appearance of creatures who, by some whim of nature, continue to exist in an era not intended for them.”
The habitat of the land elephant tortoise is Australian deserts or semi-deserts. It lives on land among thickets of wormwood and saxaul and is not at all adapted to life in water. She lacks swimming membranes on her paws, without which she cannot swim. In addition, the upper part of the shell of a land turtle is highly convex, which would significantly slow down its movement under water.
Only on the island of Madagascar, in semi-desert areas with sparse vegetation, a very rare radiated tortoise lives. This is a fairly large reptile, 40 cm in length and weighing up to 13 kg. The shell of this turtle is very beautiful, and this was the reason for its extermination. This turtle is now listed as a particularly vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List.
Balkan tortoise. It is found in forests and bushland from Spain to Romania and Greece. It prefers plant foods, although it does not refuse slugs, snails, and earthworms. It is easily recognized by the “claw” at the end of its tail, especially developed in males. The Balkan tortoise lives on average for half a century, although it can live up to 100 years. Destruction poses a serious threat to it natural environment. There are fewer and fewer places to build nests, so turtles keep laying eggs closer friend to friend. As a result, foxes, badgers and martens find and destroy many clutches at once.
Mediterranean turtle(Testudo graeca), like all land turtles, has a high shell covered with horny scutes. The length of the shell is from 15 to 35 cm. The front legs have five claws. Distributed across dry steppes and on shrubby mountain slopes ( Krasnodar region and Dagestan). Can be found in the lower belt of forests and gardens. It feeds on succulent grassy vegetation, sometimes fruits and berries. Active in the morning and evening hours. Reaches sexual maturity at 12-15 years of age. Behind summer season lays eggs three times (from two to eight in each clutch). The eggs, covered with a calcareous shell and reaching a diameter of 3 cm, are buried in a hole.
Like the Balkan tortoise, it hides and hibernates during the winter, hiding in the ground or in old badger holes. At this time, her heart rate is not 30, as usual, but only 2 beats per minute, her breathing is very slow, she does not eat or move.
Mediterranean (Greek) turtle. Despite its name, it is not found in Greece, but it is similar to the Balkan tortoise that lives there, only larger, and has a conical horny mound on its hips. This species is common in the Mediterranean and is sold there in all pet stores.
Rare, the total number in the Black Sea region does not exceed 8-12 thousand individuals. Young turtles are subject to strong pressure from predators. The number of turtles is reduced by their mass catching for home terrariums. Listed in the IUCN-96 Red List and Appendix II of the CITES Convention.
The Far Eastern turtle (Trionyx sinensis) belongs to the family Soft-bodied turtles (Pionychidae). This rare reptile distributed throughout the Amur basin to the border with China. It belongs to the genus of soft-bodied turtles. Its shell is covered on top soft skin, and the horny scutes are absent. It lives in rivers and lakes, where, burrowing at the bottom, it lies in wait for its prey - fish, crustaceans, worms. The clutch (from 20 to 70 eggs) is made in several stages and hidden in the sand, choosing a well-warmed place. Eggs up to 2 cm in diameter are covered with a calcareous shell. The incubation period is 50-60 days. Small turtles are extremely mobile: they swim, dive, and bury themselves in the sand.
The constant decline in the number of soft-bodied turtles is associated with excessive fishing (turtle meat is considered a delicacy), collection of eggs and mass death young animals from predators.
Desert tortoise (Gopherus agossizii). Length from 25 to 40 cm, height from 10 to 20 cm, weight up to 20 kg. Found in hot, arid regions of southwestern North America. Unlike other turtles, they are able to withstand severe temperature changes. During unbearable heat, desert tortoises spend most of the day and night in large burrows, which they dig with their front paws specifically for this purpose. The front paws of turtles are covered with hard scales and equipped with wide claws precisely in order to facilitate this hard labour.
Desert tortoises dig long underground tunnels with a damp depression at the bottom, which maintains the most comfortable temperature for them. During the coldest and hottest months of the year, desert tortoises freeze in a spacious hole and sleep deeply.
Living in the desert, they learned for a long time go without food. It feeds on plants, flowers and fruits. Typically, the desert tortoise leaves its burrow at dusk and goes in search of food, returning back at dawn.
Males and females differ markedly in size: males are much smaller, and females can weigh up to 20 kg.
The shell of desert tortoises can be of a variety of shades - from brown to yellow - and provides reliable protection against changing air temperatures. Thanks to their hard shell, which prevents moisture from evaporating, desert tortoises can survive in such an inhospitable environment without dying from dehydration. In addition, they are equipped with a wide and capacious bladder, which allows them to store moisture obtained from food - from cacti and other vegetation.
Desert tortoises are a rare species of tortoise that is in danger of extinction.
Everyone knows the peculiarity of turtles, in case of danger, to hide in their shell. But rare turtles can do this as well as the inhabitants of the tropics of America - box turtles. Their shell has elastic ligaments, thanks to which they can completely close themselves in the shell, turning into an armored ball!
No less interesting is the shell of the jagged quinix, the inhabitant of West Africa. The posterior third of its dorsal shield is connected to the main part by a transverse tendinous ligament and, in a moment of danger, can descend, pressing against the abdominal shield.

Naturalist's Notes
In early spring, as soon as the snow melts, as soon as the plains and hills of the Central Asian steppes are covered with young greenery, they crawl out into the light Central Asian turtles. They crawl out of their shelters - old rodent holes, cracks in the soil - exhausted, soiled with earth and fall limply, legs spread out to the sides. Turtles can lie like this for several hours - as if they are sunbathing, absorbing food with their whole body. solar heat. They poke their heads out of their shells and close their eyes blissfully.
And only after warming up, the turtle gains an interest in life: the black beads of its eyes begin to dart around in search of food.
Having difficulty rising to his feet, the turtle heavily approaches the green shoot and begins to pick off the juicy young leaves. From time to time she looks around, but the barely awakened steppe is silent. Suddenly, another turtle appears in the turtle’s field of vision - she woke up a few days earlier, and there is no longer winter stiffness in her movements. Forgetting about breakfast, the first turtle quickly runs (yes, runs, no matter how surprising it may sound!) towards the stranger, or rather, the alien.
Stretching his neck, the first male turtle makes several slurping sounds: this is his simple mating serenade. How does a voiceless reptile perform such a loud “song”? Yes, it’s very simple: by opening its mouth, the turtle takes in air and, clenching its jaws, quickly squeezes it out, which is what produces a slurping sound. But the female seems to remain deaf to the male's advances. But the third turtle, also a male, hurries to the sound of the mating call, rustling dry grass. He is clearly larger than his first suitor, and the deep scar running across his head gives him a pirate-like appearance.
Seeing a guest on his “dance floor”, the first male hisses angrily, retracting his head - a turtle pose of threat. But this does not frighten the battle-hardened “pirate” at all: he immediately rushes into battle without hesitation. Having gained sufficient speed, he hides his head and hits our male with force under the edge of his shell, trying to turn him over.
Jumping back, the first male hisses again with displeasure, moves away a few steps and strikes back. The blow was weak, but chance saved the day: the “pirate” was standing on the edge of a small ravine. Swaying, he tries to maintain his balance, but he fails, and, showering pebbles, he rolls down, but again turns to the female, who is watching the fight with interest and is already more favorable to the suitor’s song.
After romantic spring Hot summer is coming, and a clutch of turtle eggs is already resting in a specially dug hole. And the turtles, having feasted on fresh greenery, hibernate again.
Turtles find secret corners for hibernation, and if that doesn’t work, they dig deep holes with their powerful legs - there, in the saving coolness, they wait out the scorching heat. They hide not even from the heat itself - their belly is reliably protected from overheating by the shell, and the long claws on which the turtle rests when walking, and large scales protect the limbs from burns - but from lack of food. In the sun-scorched steppe you won’t find a single piece of tender vegetation, so the turtles have to hibernate.
In August, they wake up and begin to actively feed again - accumulating supplies for the winter. Among the old turtles, which have lived for decades, there are also very small ones “grazing” - the size of a tablespoon, with a still soft shell.
Sometimes in the Central Asian steppes August is hot and dry, then turtles sleep until next spring. It turns out that sometimes they sleep for eight months a year!

FRESHWATER TURTLES
Nature has not endowed all turtles with a peaceful disposition; some of them are distinguished by a very predatory character. In swampy ponds of Ukraine and surrounding areas Southern Europe Swamp turtles live. Their coloring is discreet: yellow spots are “splattered” across a black background. It is no coincidence that the marsh turtle acquired this color: when the reptile basks in the sun on the shore, golden specks give it the appearance of a black stone covered with sunbeams. However, the calmness and immobility of a turtle is deceptive - at any moment it can slide into the water and immediately hide on the mud-covered bottom.
The marsh turtle swims deftly using its webbed feet. This reptile, 14-20 cm long, prefers lakes with a muddy bottom. She is very agile on land, but spends most of her time in the water. This predator sometimes drags chicks or small animals that have fallen out of their nests there, but its main menu is crustaceans, fish, tadpoles, frogs, insects, and slugs. IN Western Europe it is becoming less and less common, mainly because due to pollution or drainage of water bodies, it simply has nowhere to live. However, it is still very difficult to notice her: she is very careful.
In spring, the female leaves a clutch of eggs on the shore and again hurries into the water, leaving the offspring to fend for themselves. And the babies are in no hurry to be born: only in the fall will they leave their egg shells to immediately start hunting.
An American relative of the swamp turtle, the red-eared turtle, basks in the sun all day and only starts spearfishing in the evening. In the evening, courtship begins. Male red-eared turtles are much smaller than the female - a third of her body size - and have a luxurious “manicure”! The claws of the three middle fingers of their front paws reach several centimeters. Seeing a female, the suitor instantly abandons all important matters - searching for worms and tadpoles - and rushes towards her. He catches up, swims forward and begins to make “magic” passes with his front paws, showing off his amazing claws and lightly patting her on the head with them.

The turtles were called red-eared for the color of the temporal part of the head: two bright red stripes edged with black cross it obliquely. The turtle's body is also quite noticeably colored: green or brown on top and yellow below.
Turtle eggs hatch with a length of 3-4 cm, the length of adults is 40 cm with a body weight of 8 kg. This large freshwater turtle is native to the Mississippi Valley, where it is found literally everywhere. Previously, it was brought to Europe in large quantities by amateurs, but since 1997, the import of this species into EU countries is strictly prohibited. The fact is that the owners have developed a bad habit of releasing pets that have become too large into local rivers. And the voracious strangers attacked frogs, toads, small fish, but most importantly, they forced out a rare species, the European marsh turtle.
Discovered only in 1925, the Texas map turtle is probably the smallest in the world, measuring less than 9 cm as an adult. It lives in the Colorado River basin of North America in a very small area in the center of Texas. This turtle got its name “cartographic” for the intricate lines on its shell. This little one belongs to freshwater turtles and swims perfectly thanks to the membranes between the toes on all paws.
Another small aquatic turtle lives in the waters of North America, called the musk turtle. Her miniature body is only 10 cm long. Despite her small size, she has powerful weapon against enemies. The turtle's body is equipped with special musk glands, from which, if necessary, it emits a repulsive odor. Having smelled it, many predators leave the turtle alone.
Along the Pacific coast of Asia, on Japanese islands and the freshwater predator Chinese trionics, or soft-bodied turtle, lives in Taiwan. It is called Trionics because of the presence of three rather long and sharp claws on the front and hind legs.
Trionics belongs to the group of leatherback turtles. Its appearance is amazing: top part the body is covered with a soft, leathery shell, which is much larger than the body itself, but the lower part of the shell is disproportionately small. The neck of the trionix is ​​long and flexible like a snake, and its limbs have turned into flippers. Trionix spends all its time in the water, and only in the spring do females with difficulty get ashore to lay eggs. In water, Trionix is ​​fast and agile - it can chase fish with incredible speed or elude a predator.
How does Trionix hunt? Having chosen a suitable place on the bottom, covered with a thick layer of silt, he buries himself in it, sticks his head out and waits for the fish. As soon as it swims over the predator, it jerks the fish right by the vulnerable belly. And then he drags it towards him and, tearing it with his claws, eats it. Sometimes he comes across big fish, which you can’t grab so easily. Then Trionics chooses a different tactic: it bites through the fish’s belly with lightning speed, tearing out the entire abdominal wall, and when the wounded victim tries with all his might to swim away, he rushes in pursuit and bites again and again. And it will pursue until the fish sinks to the bottom in convulsions.
Aquatic turtles use powerful jaws not only for hunting, but also for protection: if you carelessly pick up a trionix, it can bite until you bleed.
The Trionix turtle has one convenient feature that allows it to breathe without sticking its head to the surface of the water - its nasal passages are elongated with a tube. Having settled at the bottom, Trionix exposes only the tubes of his nostrils, while his eyes vigilantly monitor what is happening under water.
An excellent swimmer, trionics lies in wait for its prey, burrowing into the mud and exposing only its head to the surface. While waiting for prey, the turtle remains motionless for a long time. At this time, she breathes through her skin, like amphibians. Trionix has a flat shell covered with skin; there are no horny scales on the limbs and head, so the surface of contact with water is very large.
Another predator living in shallow waters tropical forests South America - matamata, or fringed turtle.

Pictured is a fringed turtle, matamata

Its triangular head and long neck are covered with a number of scalloped leathery flaps; its brownish, lumpy shell gives it a surprising resemblance to a piece of algae-covered wood or a piece of bark. Waiting for prey, the matamata sits completely motionless in the water, occasionally sticking out its sharp proboscis, at the end of which there are nostrils. Mistaking the “fringe” for worms or algae, fish, frogs or tadpoles swim close to its snout. At this moment, the mouth opens and the prey is drawn into it along with the water.
Another amazing underwater hunters live in the tropics - vulture turtles. They apparently got their name from the growth of horny jaws directly under the nostrils, reminiscent of the curved beak of a vulture predator. This “beak” acts as a tooth when the turtle hunts fish. Having settled on the shallows, the turtle opens its mouth wide. Its mucous membrane is gray in color, and only a small outgrowth of the tongue is painted bright pink. It is this worm-like outgrowth, wriggling, that attracts hungry fish, which the turtle immediately grabs.

SEA TURTLES
Sea turtles live in the tropics and subtropics, rarely swimming into temperate latitudes. On land they are slow and clumsy, but in the sea, quickly flapping their flippers like wings, they accelerate to 36 km/h!
In terms of adaptability to existence in the open ocean, sea turtles can compete with penguins in birds and pinnipeds in mammals. Their limbs are flippers, and breathing in the depths of the sea is carried out through blood vessels that permeate the inner surfaces of the mouth and pharynx.
There are 7 species of sea turtles. Their body, as expected, is protected by a shell of bone plates covered with horny scutes. The only exception is the leatherback turtle; it has no scutes, and non-fused bony plates are covered with a thick layer of skin.
Although these turtles live in the sea, the females are forced to crawl ashore to lay their eggs. This usually happens at night. With great difficulty, the turtle moves along the sand, digs a hole with its flippers, lays eggs in it (50-200 eggs, and the leatherback turtle - more than 1000), sprinkles them with sand and returns to the water. From one to three months, the eggs develop in warm sand. The hatched turtles (weighing 20 g) are quite nimble, but their shells are soft, and when they run to the sea, only the luckiest have a chance to reach it. Most fall prey to stray dogs, birds of prey and other lovers of easy prey.
Scientists have discovered that in sea turtles, the sex of the offspring depends on the temperature at which the eggs are incubated. For example, if it is below 28 °C, only males hatch from green turtle eggs, if higher - only females. This feature is used by people who breed turtles.
Turtles lay their eggs on the same beach every year. They head to these places, even if this requires traveling thousands of kilometers of ocean space. Why sea turtles flock specifically to their native beaches is still a mystery to science. It is not yet known whether they navigate by the sun or by the salinity of the water. Like other migratory species, sea turtles have magnetite (iron oxide) crystals found in their bodies, possibly allowing them to sense the Earth's magnetic field. Apparently, near the coast they use other “signs”: the direction of the waves, the position of the moon in the sky, the contour of the bottom.
The leatherback turtle is the heaviest of the turtles, with specimens weighing 950 kg known. The body is enclosed in a so-called false shell, covered with smooth, shiny skin. It feeds on fish, crustaceans, mollusks, algae, and sea grass. He loves jellyfish, but it is dangerous for a turtle to get involved with them nowadays - you can mistakenly grab a plastic bag (there are a lot of them floating in the sea) and suffocate. Sea turtles are suffering from pollution and people's increasing use of sandy beaches. Turtles have nowhere to breed.

Pictured is a leatherback turtle

Wandering in the tropical waters of the oceans, she sometimes swims to the Far Eastern shores of Russia. Like the green turtle, the leatherback lays its eggs on land where it was born and is therefore exposed to the same dangers as other sea turtles. Thanks to efforts to protect it, it is now possible to keep the number of leatherback turtles within 100 thousand individuals.
Green (soup) turtle. She runs along the east coast of America from the Caribbean to Canada. It lays eggs in the hot equatorial zone, and then swims to look for food in cooler waters. Sometimes both males and females come out to bask on the beaches.
The green soup turtle was once the most abundant species in the Atlantic Ocean and its seas. When at the very beginning of the 16th century. Columbus crossed the Caribbean Sea, giant herds of turtles blocked the path of his caravels. Now, where it was once difficult to navigate a ship through a continuous mass of shells, it is not easy to find even a single turtle. Like the giant land tortoises of the Galapagos and Seychelles islands, green turtles served as reliable food for people who wandered under sail for long periods of time in the ocean waves. Sailors salted and dried their meat or loaded the turtles on board alive.
Green soup turtles are found everywhere where the water temperature does not drop below 20 ° C, but their permanent habitat is coastal waters, where rich “pastures” extend at a depth of 4-6 m. sea ​​mollusks and crustaceans. Green turtles also feast on animal food - fish. Such a giant cannot feed itself with low-calorie algae alone.
The creation of farms for the artificial hatching of turtles will help save turtles. On such farms, people not only strictly protect each clutch, but also help the little turtles get to the sea unhindered.
After mating in coastal waters At night, females crawl onto land beyond the surf line. As soon as a turtle finds itself on land, it immediately loses its agility and lightness: it drags its heavy body with difficulty, leaving a furrow in the wet sand. The turtle must crawl away from the tidal waves: if it lays eggs here, it will soon be flooded and the eggs will die.
Having passed sand beach, the turtle reaches the coastal grass. This is where the real work begins. With its hind legs, the turtle digs a rather deep hole in the damp sand and lays there from 70 to 200 spherical eggs in a leathery shell to a depth of about 20 cm. The record clutch of eggs that was discovered is 226 pieces.
Having buried its treasure, the turtle crawls around this place several more times, leveling the sand and hiding the nesting site from possible thieves. Such maternal care is not at all in vain, because with the onset of dawn, a variety of hunters appear on the small beach. And not only animals, but also local residents who go with large baskets to collect turtle eggs, so that they can later sell them at the market as a delicacy or have breakfast themselves.
Then the turtle makes several more clutches. Having done its job, the turtle lies exhausted on the sand: she is very tired, and there is still a long way to go back to the depths of the sea. Dawn has barely broken and the turtle sets off on its journey. She is in a hurry - pushing with all her might with her flippers, getting closer to the tide every minute. The female does not hurry in vain, because the sun is destructive for the inhabitants of the sea: drying out the delicate skin, it can quickly kill even a huge soup turtle.
Finally, with the tide, the turtle is carried away into the open sea. Raising her head, she casts her last glance towards the island, where she forever leaves her offspring, and disappears under water. Once upon a time, she herself hatched from an egg here...
A few weeks will pass and the turtles will emerge from the eggs. Turtles are in a hurry for a reason: they are small and vulnerable, their shells are so delicate that they cannot serve as protection from dangers. And there are a lot of them around: during the period mass exit The babies from the eggs ashore are exposed to a variety of predators. And the first ones to lie in wait for the babies are monitor lizards. They pick up the turtles and, throwing back their heads, swallow them alive. Seagulls circle over the beach - every now and then they fall to the ground and grab babies with their strong beaks. So not all turtles crawl to the water.
One turtle managed to reach its native element, but he lay down exhausted in order to rest at least a little before the final push. And then a beckoning crab crawls out from behind a stone. This cruel coastal hunter got its name for a reason: one of its claws is much larger than the other, with which it makes constant swings, as if marking the boundaries of its territory and luring in prey.
The crab immediately attacks the turtle - grabbing it with its claw, it pulls it towards itself in order to gnaw it with its powerful jaws. The baby resists with all his might, but only a miracle can save him. And it happens: another alluring crab, coveting its neighbor’s prey, decides to take possession of the tasty morsel. He crawls up and, opening his claw, grabs the enemy by the most vulnerable spot - the planted
on the eye stalk! The first crab did not expect the attack - it unclenches its claw and lets go of the turtle.
The little turtle, despite the bloody welt running across his right flipper, quickly dives into the surf, leaving the struggling crabs on the shore. Having made a few light movements with his flippers, our lucky guy is already soaring above the seabed, and the current carries him further and further from the familiar beach. More than one year will pass, and the instinct of procreation will force the already matured turtle to return back, no matter how far it swims, to leave a clutch of eggs in the damp sand. Baby turtles grow for at least six years before becoming adults.

Hawksbill or Caretta (Eretmoshelys imbricata). Distributed in tropical seas, occasionally reaching Europe. The length of the carapace is 60-90 cm. The carapace is flat, the front jaw protrudes forward above the lower one and is armed with a sharp tooth. On the dorsal carapace the scutes overlap each other, the carapace is brown with a beautiful yellow-spotted pattern. It feeds on mollusks, ascidians, arthropods, algae, and seeks food only in the sea.
Despite the durable shell, this type of turtle suffers more than all others. They are intensively harvested for their tasty meat and famous horny scutes - thick, beautiful and easy to process. They are mainly used to make frames for glasses, combs, jewelry, and boxes.

Sea turtles migrate across the ocean. The nature of migration depends on the type of turtle. For example, green and leathery are great travelers, but hawksbill is a homebody.
Loggerhead or loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta). These turtles stay near the coast, but can swim far out to sea. It is found in all tropical seas and often migrates to colder areas. Due to the fact that loggerhead eggs are considered a delicacy in many countries, the number of these turtles is steadily declining. Loggerhead horns are used to make combs and frames for glasses.
Turtles are favorite pets. Captured somewhere in Africa and Asia, few make it to Europe, often dying along the way. Therefore, it is best not to encourage this fishing and refuse to keep turtles at home.

Elephant turtle (Geochelone elephantopus)

Magnitude	Carapace length up to 1.1 m; the weight of an adult animal is about 100 kg, some giants - up to 400 kg
Signs	Huge size; the carapace is strongly convex, dark brown; massive elephant legs
Nutrition	Various plants
Reproduction	The female lays eggs in a hole she has dug in loose soil; in one clutch there are 2-16 eggs the size of a tennis ball; egg laying from June to December; the young hatch in 120–140 days; newborn weight 80 g
Habitats	Areas with grass and sparse shrubs and trees; only in the Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador (South America)

Hawksbill (Eretmoshelys imbricata)

Magnitude	Shell length 60-90 cm
Signs	The carapace is flat; the front jaw protrudes forward above the lower jaw and is armed with a sharp tooth; the legs turned into flippers; on the dorsal shell the scutes overlap each other; the shell is brown with a beautiful yellow-spotted pattern
Nutrition	Molluscs, ascidians, arthropods, algae; looks for food only in the sea
Reproduction	The female digs a nesting hole in the sand and lays eggs; hatchlings crawl into the sea
Habitats	Hawksbills live in the sea and crawl ashore only to lay eggs; common in tropical seas; occasionally reach Europe

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Kingdom: Animals

sea ​​turtles

Sea turtles (lat. Cheloniidae) are a family of turtles from the superfamily Chelonioidea.

The average lifespan of sea turtles is 80 years. The entire life of these reptiles is spent in water; only females crawl onto land during the egg-laying period. Sexual maturity in females occurs at approximately 30 years of age. During the entire nesting year, which occurs once every two or four years, the female lays from four to seven clutches of 150-200 eggs. Mating of turtles occurs in water, in the coastal zone, often the amount of sperm received by the female is enough for several clutches.

Sea turtles have remained virtually unchanged for millions of years since they appeared on the planet. Compared to their land relatives, these turtles have some important changes that have allowed them to adapt to their environment, such as paws that have turned into fins, a shortened and lighter shell (the sea turtle is not able to hide its head and paws), allowing them to better support the body afloat and having better hydrodynamics, lungs providing optimal oxygen consumption and permeated blood vessels trachea, which allows oxygen to be released from water.

Despite the popular belief that turtles are slow animals, this is only the case on land, where they really look clumsy. However, in the water they are transformed, becoming examples of speed and superior navigator qualities.

Scientists haven't fully figured out why, but turtles have amazing navigational abilities.
: Firstly, they accurately determine the place of their birth, and return exactly there to continue their offspring.
Secondly, sea turtles undergo enormous migrations, presumably guided by magnetic field Earth, which prevents them from getting lost.

Representatives of the order of turtles, sea turtles, are distinguished from other reptiles by the presence of a means of passive protection - a shell, which is a bone-chitinous shield that covers the body of turtles from the back, sides and belly. The dorsal part of the shield, called the carapace, is connected to the abdominal part (plastron) either by movable tendons or a strong bone bridge. The carapalax consists of bone plates of dermal origin. The top of the shell of most turtle species is covered with symmetrical horny scutes. Only in one species, the leatherback turtle, the shell is not attached to the skeleton in any way, and is built from bone plates that are connected to each other. The leatherback turtle got its name precisely because of its shell - it is “leather,” that is, its covering is leather.

The leatherback turtle is the largest living turtle: its shell length reaches 2 m and its weight reaches 600 kg. The front flippers, devoid of claws, reach a span of 5 m. The heart-shaped shell has 7 longitudinal ridges on the dorsal side and 5 on the ventral side.

During the year, female leatherback turtles lay eggs 3-4 times and come ashore only at night. They dig entire wells, the depth of which reaches 100-120 cm. Having lowered the back of the body into this well, the female lays two groups of eggs - regular and small (sterile). Having filled the nest, the female compacts the sand tightly with her flippers. At the same time, small eggs burst, increasing the nesting space.

The most famous species of sea turtle is the green or soup sea turtle (Chelonia mydas). She is widely known in many countries thanks to her delicious meat and the turtle soup that is made from it. The shell of an adult green sea turtle can reach a length of 140 cm, and the weight of the largest specimens can be over 200 kg.

The green turtle has a low, rounded-oval shell, which is covered with scutes that lie side by side and do not cover each other. The head is small, the eyes are large. The front flippers usually have one claw. The color of the upper side of the carapace is variable in color and can be olive green, or dark brown with yellowish spots. The ventral side is white or yellowish.

At a young age, green turtles feed on various animals: crabs, sponges, jellyfish, worms, snails. But adult turtles are herbivores. They eat algae and grass that grows on the shore and is flooded at high tide.

The loggerhead sea turtle, or false caretta, is a species of sea turtle sole representative kind of loggerheads. Loggerhead sea turtles have a shell length of 70-110 cm, their weight ranges from 70 to 200 kg (average 120 kg). The head is massive, covered with large scutes. The front flippers have 2 blunt claws. The top is colored brown, reddish-brown or olive, the plastron is lighter.

The loggerhead turtle leads a pelagic lifestyle, feeding on bottom-dwelling invertebrates, mainly mollusks and crustaceans. Very powerful jaw muscles allow the turtle to crush the thick shells and shells of marine animals.

The hawksbill sea turtle or true carriage turtle can be easily distinguished from other species by the two pairs of scutes between the eyes. Externally, the hawksbill turtle is similar to a green turtle, but its body size is smaller than that of a green turtle - from 60 to 90 cm. Body weight ranges from 45 to 55 kg. She has a fairly light, heart-shaped shell. Rear end The shell is significantly narrowed and pointed. In young individuals, the armored scutes noticeably overlap each other, however, with age, the overlap smoothes out and subsequently disappears completely. The tail does not protrude beyond the shell. The upper jaw hangs over the lower jaw, and is equipped with a weapon - a sharp tooth. The front flipper legs serve as fins for this turtle, while the hind legs serve as a rudder. The front flippers usually have two claws.

Carriage meat is also eaten, although this is associated with a risk - it can become poisonous if the turtle has fed on poisonous animals. Hawksbill eggs are a delicacy in many countries. Turtles are also exterminated for their shells - they are used to obtain “turtle bones”. Souvenirs are made from young individuals.

The ridley or olive turtle is very similar to the loggerhead turtle, differing from it in a more rounded shell, more costal scutes and an olive-gray back color. The size of the ridley shell can reach 80 cm. The habitat and food preferences of these sea turtles are the same as those of previous species.

For a long time there was the so-called “Ridley mystery”. While the laying sites of Pacific ridley sea turtles have been known for a long time, such clutches could not be discovered in its Atlantic species for a long time. Neither pregnant female rhydeans nor small turtles were observed. Turtle catchers in many regions Atlantic Ocean Ridley was even considered incapable of reproduction, since there was a belief that it was a hybrid animal - a cross between a loggerhead and a green turtle. And only in the 60s of the last century, scientists discovered that Atlantic ridleys lay eggs only in isolated places on the Atlantic coast of Mexico, and they lay eggs together with other species of sea turtles. And since ridleys are very similar in appearance to loggerheads, these nesting sites were considered to belong to loggerheads.

However, the Atlantic ridley subspecies is the most susceptible to population decline due to the fact that there are very few places on the planet where these sea turtles lay eggs.

All species of sea turtles are currently strictly protected and are included in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. In a number of countries, special farms have even been organized for incubating eggs and raising young fish. Attempts have also been made to transport clutches of turtle eggs to remote islands in order to change their nesting areas. After all, it is believed that a sea turtle that has reached sexual maturity comes to build a nest on the very shore where it was born. However, the numbers of all species of sea turtles continue to decline.

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Any living creatures, including turtles, have their own instincts. Among all the main instincts, the main one can be distinguished - this is the instinct of procreation. Regardless of where the turtle is in nature or in captivity, this instinct is equally effective. Turtles regularly lay eggs, including unfertilized ones. They are called "diet".

1. If turtles of different sexes are kept at home, then upon reaching sexual maturity the female turtle will definitely lay eggs, and fertilized ones at that. As a result, they may hatch into small turtles.
2. This will happen a week after mating.
3. Even aquatic turtles crawl onto land to lay eggs, not to mention land turtles. Having made a small depression in the sand or soil, turtles lay their eggs there. If the soil is dry, then the turtle will definitely make it wet, since eggs can dry out if there is a lack of moisture.
   Under certain conditions, when moisture evaporates faster than necessary, even turtles that were able to develop in the shell may dry out. In this regard, the soil moisture in the place where the eggs are laid should be controlled. In the photo you can see the laying of eggs and their care.

1. After the turtle has laid its eggs, it returns to the sea and forgets about its offspring. This fact applies to almost all turtles. This means that the owner of the turtle will have to take care of the offspring.
2. After 2-3 months, with proper care of the masonry, offspring will appear in the form of small turtles.

For this miracle to take place, you need to inspect the eggs daily to identify spoiled ones. One rotten egg can ruin the entire clutch. To avoid doing this in an aquaterrarium, many experts advise moving the eggs to a special incubator, which can be seen in the photo.

Where are the eggs laid?

The turtle tries to lay eggs in places where they will be safe. Moreover, this place is located at a considerable distance from the turtle’s habitat. Basically, she lays her eggs in the sand. The fact is that it is easy to make a depression in the sand, especially since sand can hold both heat and moisture.

If the mating process is noticed, then it is better to pour a certain portion of sand into the terrarium (aquaterrarium) so that the turtle can lay eggs without much effort. Eggs are laid at a depth of 50 mm, so an island 100 mm high will definitely attract a female.

If a female lays eggs without a male, then they can be thrown away immediately, since there will be no offspring.

How to create the necessary conditions for the growth of offspring

The turtle's task is to lay eggs, but what comes out of them does not interest it. This suggests that the turtle does not have the instinct of a mother, so all worries about laying eggs, and then about the offspring, fall entirely on the shoulders of the turtle’s owner.

1. First of all, you should think about temperature conditions. The ambient temperature along with the masonry should be optimal. If it is cold, turtles are unlikely to be born, just like when high temperatures, when eggs can turn into scrambled eggs. You need to install a lamp above the masonry itself, but not too close to the masonry, so that the temperature does not turn out to be too high.
2. An important factor is the humidity at the masonry site. Too much high humidity can be as dangerous as its deficiency.

To ensure that offspring are born, it is better to use an incubator. The process of caring for eggs is much simpler and makes it possible to monitor the development of each egg.

• In this case, you need to regularly inspect the clutch for frozen eggs.
• It is necessary to constantly monitor the position of the embryos. If you shine a flashlight through the eggs, you can easily determine its position. The normal position of the embryo is head up.

The advantages of the incubator are obvious. Not only can all the turtles be born, the process of their birth is accelerated. As for ordinary turtle clutches, there are very few guarantees of the birth of small turtles, especially if she laid her eggs in natural conditions.

Video “example of egg laying”