|Endangered Species: Green Sea Turtle
Submitted by: Breeze, Grade 5
Christiansburg, Virginia, USA
Why Study This Topic?
I would like to know
where the Green Sea turtle comes from and if the it migrates. I also
want to know how long it's been endangered. I also need to know what
other types of turtles it is related to, where it lay's its eggs, and how
long it takes for the eggs to hatch. I want to know how it
got its name, how many eggs it lays, and what season they are laid in,
and how long has it been on this planet. I also would like to know
how scientists can tell how old a particular Sea turtle is.
I am interested in the Sea turtle because it
is on the endangered species, and it is an interesting animal.
What Was Already Known
Before I started this research, all I knew
was that the sea turtles lived in the sea. I knew that Sea turtles
had different types such as the Leather back, the Green Sea Turtle which
happen to be the one I'm studying and the Loggerhead turtle. Six
out of the seven sea turtles are endangered. I knew that the sea
turtle was different from a tortoise or a turtle. The sea turtle is three
times as bigger than a horse.
The sea turtle is endangered because of its skin.
Its skin is very tough and makes good oil. People use sea turtles
shells because their shells make great decorations.
Search for Information
I searched on-line at tqjunior.advanced.org
andbgnet.mobot.org. I also went to yahooligans.com. That search
engine has a lot of information. Another good place was zoo.pgh.pa.us
or schoolworld.asn.au. All those places gave me more information.
Description of Plant or Animal
The Green sea turtle weighs from 100 to 500 pounds.
It is about four to eight feet in length. Is is about three feet
tall. Its shell color is greenish brown. Its body is brownish
gray. It has a round shell. It has a head that is a round
shape, and its legs are like fins. It has a small tail. Some
of its shell angles up like an arch.
The Green sea turtle eats seaweed and other plants
that grow in the ocean's salt water. That makes it an herbivore.
Herbivore means an animal that just eats plants.
The Green sea turtle lives in the ocean. It drinks
the water it lives in, so it drinks salt water. The Green turtle's shelter
is the seaweed, which it also eats. The Green turtle space is the ocean
where it lives. The ocean is so big that it has plenty of space.
The Green sea turtle is not a predators because
it eats plants. The Green sea turtle is the prey to human beings.
The human man takes and kills the Green sea turtle, human thinks that the
Green sea turtle's flesh tastes good. The shell of the Green sea
turtle is used for decorations. The shell of the Green turtle are
also used for candles. People also take Green sea turtles in for
The Green sea turtle is parsley camiflouge, because
it blends in with the sewed which it eats. The seaweed may be a brighter
green but it still matches.
Reasons for Endangerment
The Green sea turtle is endangered because of man.
Man comes and builds around the beach were the female Green turtle nests.
When man is building a house or hotel the debris can pollute the water
in which the turtle live. This pollution can kill the Green turtle.
When that building is done, it also brings
other people. The people go to the beach. Sometimes,
kids and adults start digging to make sand castles and disturb the turtle
eggs. They also go out walking, and they walk on the nest with out knowing
it. Those same people may pollute the water as much as the debris.
Other human activities also can kill the Green turtle. For
example, a shrimp trawl can drown the Green sea turtles.
People have made laws to protect the Green sea turtle.
One of the laws is that people may not collect the Green sea turtle eggs.
Another law is people aren't aloud to build around the beaches of which
the Green sea turtle nests. People who can't make laws but wish they could
can be more careful around the beaches. If they start digging where
there is a nest and they dig up some of the eggs, they could put them back
where they dug the eggs up.
I learned that the Green sea turtle eats seaweed
and other plants that grow under water. They can also stay under water
for almost an hour. I also learned why it's endangered. I learned
how long it can get in length and how much it can weigh. I learned what
the Green sea turtle's predators are and what the predators do to it. I
have also learned what people have done to help it, and what I can do ot
Conclusions From Research
I was aware that the
Green sea turtle was endangered. I just wasn't aware that the Green
sea turtle would be killed for so many unthinkable reasons. I do
not understand why someone would want to kill a part of Mother Nature.
I know a killing of a part of Mother Nature happens about every five seconds,
but I can try to help the Green sea turtle. I can't help every animal
or human that is in trouble. Even my friends, and I can't help everybody
but we can try.
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Last updated on February 3, 2000