Either way, it’ll be difficult to spend an entire week on a single island without seeing a green sea turtle. You’re most likely to walk into one sleeping on the beach, or you can go snorkeling near a proven turtle feeding ground. You can take advantage of a turtle’s eating and sleeping habits to catch a glimpse of these cute little sea creatures. That’s where you’re most likely to run into a sea turtle in Hawaii. The activity level dictates just how long the air in their lungs lasts, so an active turtle can stay underwater for much less time than a sleeping one.īut exhausted turtles often come to shore in order to sleep and to warm up in the hot sand. They can sleep for hours submerged in the water, and they often hide under rocks or coral ledges to keep away from predators. The oxygen helps them to dive, eat, and to escape predators, but it also helps them sleep. Incredibly, that quick in-and-out replaces all the air in their lungs. These mammals spend almost their entire lives in the water, but they must breathe air to survive. If you’re lucky enough to see a turtle surface, you’ll notice a quick and forceful inhale and exhale. They become omnivores as they grow larger before becoming full-blown herbivores in adulthood.Įven the way the turtle sleeps is fascinating. They feast on small fish, crabs, and other mini sea creatures. Young Hawaiian sea turtles are actually carnivores. And, if you see the turtle munching on seagrass, algae, or seaweed, they are probably a fully grown adult. That means the cute little turtle you bump into while snorkeling has beaten the odds. It is estimated that only 1% of all green sea turtles reach sexual maturity, but, if they survive into adulthood, they can live for up to 80 years. Sharks, large fish, and even crabs have been known to eat young green sea turtles. There are plenty of predators that await past the surf. These tiny little creatures could fit in the palm of your hand, so the danger isn’t over after they reach the sea. After hatching, a mob of juveniles emerges from the sand to storm the beach, and they make a run for the water while predatory birds peck from overhead.
Turtles lay hundreds of eggs along the beach. Green sea turtles migrate across the entire Pacific Ocean from their breeding grounds in Asia to greet you in Hawaii. These friendly sea creatures can be found in the warm waters of Hawaii, but they began their lives far off to the west. The Hawaiian green sea turtle, otherwise known as Honu, is absolutely fascinating.
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