A l l Ab o u t S e a Tu r t l e s

Size and Weight of Sea Turtles

There are many different types of sea turtle and their
appearance differs between species. The smallest type of
sea turtle is the Olive Ridley turtle. The largest type of
sea turtle is the Leatherback turtle.

Appearance of Sea Turtles

Sea turtles have a streamlined shell to make
it easy for them to swim in the water.
Their heads can vary in shape and size. A
hawksbill sea turtle has a narrow head suitable for
digging for food in coral reefs.

Sea turtles have flippers so they can swim. Because of

this, turtles find it difficult to walk on land. Land turtles
can retract their limbs under their shells, but sea turtles cannot. Sea turtles have four
flippers - the front two are like paddles and the back two limbs help them to dig
nests in the sand and keep the turtle stable as it swims.

Turtles have no teeth or ear

openings. Between species, the
jaw shape of sea turtles varies
due to their differing diets. They
have big upper eyelids which serve
to protect their eyes.

Did You Know...?

Green sea turtles can hold
their breath for five hours!

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 All About Sea Turtles

Diet
Depending on their species, sea turtles can be:

• carnivores (meat eaters);

• herbivores (plant eaters);

• omnivores (meat and plant eaters).

A sea turtle’s jaw structure indicates what

kind of diet it has.

Migration
Sea turtles migrate between cooler
Did You Know...?
and warmer waters, depending on the
Leatherback sea turtles can travel as many
season. When they migrate, sea turtles
as 10,000 miles or more each year between
can travel thousands of miles between
foraging grounds
foraging grounds and nesting beaches.
in search of
These beaches are usually where they
jellyfish.
were born.

Life Cycle
The life cycle of a sea turtle has four stages.

Interesting fact:
Sea turtles’ eggs look
like ping pong balls!

Eggs

Adult
Interesting fact:
The word ‘turtle’ is
the umbrella term for Hatchling
turtles, tortoises and
terrapins. Juvenile

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 All About Sea Turtles

Questions
1. What is the name of the smallest sea turtle? Tick one.

Olive Ridley
Grape Tickly
Berry Buckley
2. The largest sea turtle is called the Cottonback turtle. True or false?

True
False
3. What do sea turtles’ eggs look like?

Basketballs
Ping pong balls
Tennis balls
Footballs
4. What shape of head does a Hawksbill turtle have?



5. What do sea turtles have which help them to swim?



6. How long can green turtles hold their breath for?



7. Why do you think that different species of sea turtles have different jaws?



8. Use a dictionary to find out what “streamlined” means. Write the definition in your
own words.




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 All About Sea Turtles

Answers
1. What is the name of the smallest sea turtle? Tick one.

Olive Ridley
Grape Tickly
Berry Buckley
2. The largest sea turtle is called the Cottonback turtle. True or false?

True
False
3. What do sea turtles’ eggs look like?

Basketballs
Ping pong balls
Tennis balls
Footballs
4. What shape of head does a Hawksbill turtle have?

A hawksbill turtle has a narrow head suitable for digging into crevices in coral
reefs for food.
5. What do sea turtles have which help them to swim?

Sea turtles have flippers to help them swim.

6. How long can green turtles hold their breath for?

Sea turtles can hold their breath for five hours!

7. Why do you think that different species of sea turtles have different jaws?

Different species of sea turtles have different jaws because they

have different diets and need suitable jaws for each kind of diet.
8. Use a dictionary to find out what “streamlined” means. Write the definition in your
own words.

Answers will vary but definition should be similar to this: “Streamlined” means
to have a form that presents little resistance to water or air. An animal that has
a smooth shape can easily travel in water or through the air.

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 A l l Ab o u t S e a Tu r t l e s
Size and Weight of Sea Turtles
There are many different types of sea turtle, and their appearance
differs between species. The smallest type of sea turtle is the Olive
Ridley turtle which varies between 51 to 75cm in length
and 73 to 110lbs in weight. The largest type of
sea turtle is the Leatherback turtle which
measures 1.2 to 1.8m in length and between
441 and 1,984 lbs in weight.

Appearance of Sea Turtles

Sea turtles have a streamlined shell to make
it easy for them to swim in the water. Their
heads can vary in shape and size, for example,
a hawksbill sea turtle has a narrow head suitable
for digging into crevices in coral reefs for food.

Instead of limbs, turtles have flippers so they

can swim.
Because of this, turtles are awkward on land and
find it difficult to move from place to place. Land
turtles can retract their limbs under their shells,
but sea turtles cannot. They have four flippers - the
front two are like paddles and the back two limbs
help them to dig nests in the sand and keep the turtle
stable as it swims.

Sea turtles have hard, bony shells which protect them from
predators. The top side of the shell is called the ‘carapace’. Did You Know...?
The carapace can be oval or heart-shaped, depending on the Green sea turtles can
species. Turtles have no teeth or ear openings. Between species, hold their breath for
the jaw shape of sea turtles varies due to their differing diets. five hours!
They have big upper eyelids which serve to protect their eyes.

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 All About Sea Turtles

Diet
Depending on their species, sea turtles can be:

• carnivores (meat eaters);

• herbivores (plant eaters);

• omnivores (meat and plant eaters).

A sea turtle’s jaw structure indicates

what kind of diet it has.

Scissor-like jaws: Serrated lower jaws: Blunt jaws: Loggerhead sea

Leatherback turtles have
delicate scissor-like jaws
which are designed to eat
soft foods like jellyfish.
Flatback turtles have
serrated jaws designed for
eating invertebrates like
sea shrimp, jellyfish and
sea cucumbers.
turtles have jaws suitable
for grinding and crushing
a variety of prey, such as
crabs, mollusks and plants.

Migration
Sea turtles migrate between cooler and warmer waters,
depending on the season. They travel to tropical and subtropical
climates. When they migrate, sea turtles can travel thousands
of miles between foraging grounds and nesting beaches.
These beaches are usually where they were born.

Did You Know...?

Leatherback sea turtles can
travel as many as 10,000 miles
or more each year between
foraging grounds in search of
jellyfish.

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 All About Sea Turtles
Life Cycle
The life cycle of a sea turtle has four stages.

After a few years turtles settle close

to the shore. It takes a turtle 30 years The mother egg comes onto
to reach adulthood. The female turtles the beach at night to lay
navigate their way back to the beach between 100 and 200 eggs.
where they were born and lay eggs
every 2-3 years.

Eggs
Hatchling

Adult
Juvenile

Nests will hatch

between 40 and 60
eggs. Baby turtles
When they have hatched, never see their mothers
turtles swim rapidly to the and are completely
sea and spend a few years independent from birth.
drifting and eating algae.

Interesting fact: Interesting fact:

Sea turtles’ eggs look The word ‘turtle’ is
like ping pong balls! the umbrella term for
turtles, tortoises and
terrapins.

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 All About Sea Turtles

Questions
1. What is the name of the largest sea turtle? Tick one.

Olive Ridley turtle

Leatherback turtle
Green sea turtle
Speckled sea turtle
2. What does it mean when the passage says that sea turtles “migrate”? Tick one.

They move from one place to another.

They go to sleep for the winter.
They play with bubbles in the water.
They are eaten by sharks.
3. Fill in the missing word

Sea turtles have a shell which makes it easy for

them to swim in the water.
4. What do sea turtles have instead of limbs?



5. Why do sea turtles have hard bony shells?



6. Why do Leatherback turtles have scissor-like jaws?




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 All About Sea Turtles Questions
7. Give the meaning of the following terms:

Carnivore -


Herbivore -


Omnivore -


8. What is the difference between a sea turtle and a land turtle? Give two differences in
your answer.






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 All About Sea Turtles

Answers
1. What is the name of the largest sea turtle? Tick one.

Olive Ridley turtle

Leatherback turtle
Green sea turtle
Speckled sea turtle
2. What does it mean when the passage says that sea turtles “migrate”? Tick one.

They move from one place to another.

They go to sleep for the winter.
They play with bubbles in the water.
They are eaten by sharks.
3. Fill in the missing word

Sea turtles have a streamlined shell which makes it easy for them to swim in the water.
4. What do sea turtles have instead of limbs?

Sea turtles have flippers instead of limbs.

5. Why do sea turtles have hard bony shells?

Sea turtles have hard bony shells to protect them from predators.
6. Why do Leatherback turtles have scissor-like jaws?

Leatherback turtles have scissor-like jaws so they can eat soft foods like jellyfish.
7. Give the meaning of the following terms:

Carnivore - A carnivore is an animal which eats meat only.

Herbivore - A herbivore is an animal which eats only plants.
Omnivore - An omnivore is an animal which eats both meat and plants.
8. What is the difference between a sea turtle and a land turtle? Give two differences in
your answer.

Sea turtles have flippers so they can swim but land turtles have limbs. Land turtles can
retract their limbs under their shells but sea turtles cannot.

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 A l l Ab o u t S e a Tu r t l e s
Size and Weight of Sea Turtles
There are many different types of sea turtle, and their appearance
differs between species. The smallest type of sea turtle is the Olive
Ridley turtle which varies between 51 to 75cm in length
and 73 to 110lbs in weight. The largest type of sea
turtle is the Leatherback turtle which
measures 1.2 to 1.8m in length and
between 441 and 1,984 lbs in weight.

Appearance of Sea Turtles

Sea turtles have a streamlined shell to make
it easy for them to swim in the water. Their
heads can vary in shape and size, for example,
a hawksbill sea turtle has a narrow head suitable
for digging into crevices in coral reefs for food.

Instead of limbs, turtles have flippers so they can

swim. Because of this, turtles are awkward on
land and find it difficult to move from place to
place. Land turtles can retract their limbs under
their shells, but sea turtles cannot. They have four
flippers - the front two are like paddles and the back
two limbs help them to dig nests in the sand and keep
the turtle stable as it swims.

Sea turtles have hard, bony shells which protect them from
predators. The top side of the shell is called the ‘carapace’. Did You Know...?
The carapace can be oval or heart-shaped, depending on the Green sea turtles can
species. Turtles have no teeth or ear openings. Between species, hold their breath for
the jaw shape of sea turtles varies due to their differing diets. five hours!
They have big upper eyelids which serve to protect their eyes.

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 All About Sea Turtles

Diet
Depending on their species, sea turtles can be:

• carnivores (meat eaters);

• herbivores (plant eaters);

• omnivores (meat and plant eaters).

A sea turtle’s jaw structure indicates

what kind of diet it has.

Scissor-like jaws: Serrated lower jaws: Blunt jaws: Loggerhead sea

Leatherback turtles have
delicate scissor-like jaws
which are designed to eat
soft foods like jellyfish.
Flatback turtles have
serrated jaws designed for
eating invertebrates like
sea shrimp, jellyfish and
sea cucumbers.
turtles have jaws suitable
for grinding and crushing
a variety of prey, such as
crabs, mollusks and plants.

The diet of a green sea turtle changes throughout its life. Until sea turtles reach 200mm in
length, they are carnivores, eating mostly worms, crustaceans, insects and algae. As they
grow, sea turtles tend to eat only sea grass and algae, making them herbivores.

Migration
Sea turtles migrate between cooler and warmer waters, Did You Know...?
depending on the season. They travel to tropical and Leatherback sea turtles can
subtropical climates. When they migrate, sea turtles travel as many as 10,000 miles
can travel thousands of miles between foraging grounds or more each year between
and nesting beaches. These beaches are usually where foraging grounds in search of
they were born. Nobody knows how turtles find their jellyfish.
way back to the beaches where they were born, but
researchers believe that ocean currents and water
chemistry provide clues for them.

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 All About Sea Turtles
Life Cycle
The life cycle of a sea turtle has four stages.

After a few years turtles settle close to the shore.

It takes a turtle 30 years to reach adulthood. The mother egg comes onto
The female turtles navigate their way back to the beach at night to lay
the beach where they were born and lay eggs between 100 and 200 eggs.
every 2-3 years.

Eggs
Hatchling

Adult
Juvenile

Nests will hatch between

When they have hatched,
40 and 60 eggs. Baby
turtles swim rapidly to the
turtles never see their
sea and spend a few years
mothers and are completely
drifting and eating algae.
independent from birth.

Interesting fact:
Sea turtles’ eggs look Sea Turtles
like ping pong balls! • They live in the sea and only
come to land to lay eggs.
• They have limbs and develop
flippers for swimming.
• There are seven species of
Interesting fact: sea turtle.
The word ‘turtle’ is • They nest on the beaches where beaches where they were born.
the umbrella term for they were born.
turtles, tortoises • Egg incubation of sea turtles
and terrapins. is 21 days.
Land Turtles
• They live on land and do not
often go into the sea.
• They have legs for walking.
• There are 45 species of
land turtle.
• Land turtles do not nest on
• Egg incubation of land turtles
is 60-120 days.

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 All About Sea Turtles

Questions
1. What is the smallest sea turtle in the world called? Tick one.

Boo Radley
Olive Oil
Olive Ridley
Eleanor Rigby
2. What is the word used to describe the movement of animals from one region or habitat
to another? Tick one.

Migraine
Migrate
Median
Rotate
3. How big can a Leatherback Turtle grow to be?


4. List the four stages of a turtles’ life cycle.




5. Fill in the missing words:

Sea turtles have no or .

6. What kind of turtles have serrated lower jaws and why is this?





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 All About Sea Turtles Questions
7. Which two things do researchers believe influence sea turtles to return back to the beach
where they were born to nest?




8. What do you think “streamlined” means? Use a dictionary or thesaurus to help you.




9. Why do sea turtles travel awkwardly on land?




10. List three differences between sea turtles and land turtles.






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 All About Sea Turtles

Answers
1. What is the smallest sea turtle in the world called? Tick one.

Boo Radley
Olive Oil
Olive Ridley
Eleanor Rigby
2. What is the word used to describe the movement of animals from one region or habitat
to another? Tick one.

Migraine
Migrate
Median
Rotate
3. How big can a Leatherback Turtle grow to be?

A Leatherback turtle can grow to be 2 metres in length and 900kg in weight.

4. List the four stages of a turtles’ life cycle.

The four stages of a turtle’s life are egg, hatchling, juvenile and adult.
5. Fill in the missing words:

Sea turtles have no teeth or ear openings.

6. What kind of turtles have serrated lower jaws and why is this?

Flatback turtles have serrated jaws so they can eat invertebrates like sea shrimp,
jellyfish and sea cucumbers.
7. Which two things do researchers believe influence sea turtles to return back to the beach
where they were born to nest?

The two things researchers believe influence sea turtles to return are the ocean
currents and the chemical makeup of the water.

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 All About Sea Turtles

Answers
8. What do you think “streamlined” means? Use a dictionary or thesaurus to help you.

”Streamlined” means to have a form that presents little resistance to water or air. An
animal that has a smooth shape can easily travel in water or through the air.

9. Why do sea turtles travel awkwardly on land?

Sea turtles move awkwardly on land because they have flippers rather than
legs so it is difficult for them to walk.
10. List three differences between sea turtles and land turtles.

Any three of the following:

• Land turtles can retract their flippers whereas sea turtles cannot.
• Land turtles live on land and sea turtles live mostly in the sea.
• There are seven species of sea turtle but there are 45 species of land turtle.
• Land turtles do not nest on beaches where they were born, but sea turtles do.
• Egg incubation period of a sea turtle is 21 days but the egg incubation period
of a land turtle is 60-120 days.

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