Life Cycle of Sea Turtle - Stages with Diagram - GeeksforGeeks (2024)

Sea Turtles Life Cycle goes through several phases. In the beginning, female turtles deposit their eggs on the beaches where they were hatched, burying them for protection and determining the sex of the hatchlings. After hatching, the baby turtles face up against predators and other hurdles as they make their dangerous travel to the ocean. When a turtle reaches the oceanic stage, it grows quickly, floating with the currents, and adjusting to life at sea.

They go to coastal areas as they age, such asseagrass beds and reefs, where they may find food and refuge. Knowing these stages is essential to conservation efforts because it helps direct programs to protect nesting locations, reduce pollution, and maintain important ecosystems, all of which contribute to the survival of these amazing animals.

What is a Sea Turtle?

Sea turtles are aquatic reptiles that are members of the Chelonioidea superfamily and the Testudines order. Their streamlined bodies, swimming limbs resembling flippers, and shells made of bony plates coated in a coating of keratinous material are well adapted to life in the water. Oceans worldwide are home to sea turtles, however, they are most common in tropical and subtropical areas. As scavengers, herbivores, and carnivores, they are essential to the survival of seagrass beds and coral reefs in maritime environments. Their streamlined bodies, swimming limbs resembling flippers, and a shell made of bony plates coated in a coating of keratinous material.

Also Read: Snail Life Cycle

Digram of Sea Turtle Life Cycle

The labeled diagram showing all stage of sea turtle life span is shown below:

Sea Turtle Life Cycle

The life cycle of a sea turtle consists of several different phases, each requiring unique adaptations and obstacles;

Egg Stage (Nesting)

• Natal homing is the practice of female sea turtles returning to the beaches where they were hatched to deposit their eggs.
• They create a nest in the sand, depositing a clutch of eggs and shielding them with sand.
• The sand’s temperature affects the sex of the hatchlings throughout the eggs’ several-week incubation period.

Hatchling Stage

• When the eggs hatch, which usually happens at night, the hatchlings follow the reflection of the moon or stars on the water to find their way automatically to the ocean.
• This is a dangerous voyage, since hatchlings have to avoid barriers like sand dunes and trash and avoid predators like birds, crabs, and even people.

Oceanic Stage (Pelagic Phase)

• Young sea turtles enter the oceanic stage once they reach the water, floating with the currents for a few years.
• They grow quickly at this stage and acquire specific adaptations for living at sea, such asstrong flippers and streamlined shells.
• Since young sea turtles are frequently seen, little is known about this phase of their life cycle.

Juvenile Stage

• Sea turtles move from open waters to coastal areas like estuaries, seagrass beds, and coral reefs as they get bigger.
• As they continue to develop, these environments give young sea turtles vital food sources and cover.

Adult Stage

• Sea turtles return to coastal locations to mate and lay their eggs after they reach sexual maturity, which can take a few years to many decades, depending on the species.
• Through their eating habits, adult sea turtles affect the number and distribution of prey species and act as carriers of nutrients between various areas, making them important components of marine ecosystems.

Conclusion – Sea Turtle Life Cycle: Introduction, Life Cycle, FAQs

In summary, the life cycle of sea turtles is full of risks and difficulties, yet it is necessary for these ancient seafarers to survive. Every stage has its own set of challenges and adaptations, from the egg stage, when females return to beaches to deposit their eggs, to the dangerous trek that hatchlings must do to reach the ocean. While juvenile turtles shift to coastal settings where they find food and shelter, oceanic-stageturtles grow and mature quickly while floating with currents. The responsibility of reproducing finally lies on adults; females must travel long distances to nesting beaches where they lay their eggs before heading back out to sea.

Also Read:

• Difference Between Reptiles and Amphibians
• Reptilia: Definition, Characteristics, Classification, and Example
• Difference Between Turtles And Tortoises
• What are the Major Threats to Marine Ecosystems?

FAQs – Sea Turtle Life Cycle

What is the Sea Turtle’s Life Cycle?

The sea turtle life cycle encompasses nesting, hatchling emergence, oceanic drift, juvenile transition, and adult reproduction, each stage vital for their survival and conservation.

What is the Development Time of a Sea Turtle?

The development time of a sea turtle from egg laying to sexual maturity ranges from several decades for larger species like leatherbacks to as little as 6 to 10 years for smaller species like Kemp’s ridleys.

What is the Egg Stage of a Sea Turtle?

The egg stage of a sea turtle involves females returning to nesting beaches to lay their eggs in sandy nests, which then undergo incubation until hatching.

What is the Size of a Turtle Egg?

The size of a sea turtle egg varies by species but typically ranges from 3 to 5 centimeters in diameter.

How Many Eggs Does 1 Turtle Lay?

One turtle typically lays multiple clutches of eggs throughout a nesting season, with the number of eggs per clutch varying by species but ranging from around 50 to over 100 eggs.

See Also

Turtle Tracks: A rare green sea turtle nest found on Tybee Island

How are Turtle Eggs Fertilized?

Turtle eggs are fertilized internally through copulation, where sperm is transferred from the male to the female reproductive tract.