Once they reach the ocean, they swim continuously for about 36 hours to escape predators that may prey on them in coastal waters. Hatchlings emerge from the nest at night and crawl towards the ocean using several cues, primarily celestial light reflecting off the ocean, The temperature of the nest during the second trimester of incubation will determine the sex of the hatchlings. The eggs incubate for approximately 60 days and during this time are susceptible to predation by raccoons, feral hogs,Ĭoyotes and ghost crabs. Each female will nest, on average, four times per season with two week intervals betweenĮach nesting event. The cavity is dug with their hindįlippers in the dry sand above the high tide line. They deposit these eggs in a nest cavity that is approximately 18 inches deep. Onto the beach at night, 30 days after breeding, from May to August and deposit an average of 120 white, leathery eggs similar in appearanceĪnd size to a ping pong ball. The reproductive season begins when males and females mate in early spring. History information is specific to this species. Since loggerheads are the most common species found in South Carolina, the following life Your browser does not support the video tag.Īll sea turtles have a similar life history. Nests and strandings in South Carolina can be followed in real time on the Sea Turtle Program web site: Loggerheads are the most common sea turtle found in our state's coastal waters and nesting on our beaches. Green and leatherback sea turtles can be found in South Carolina's near shore waters April through November or nesting on our beaches from They are the loggerhead, Kemp's ridley, green, leatherback, Australian flatback, hawksbill and olive ridley. There are seven species of sea turtles in the world. Spend all of their life in salt water, except when females come ashore to lay eggs. Sea turtles differ from freshwater turtles because they have flippers instead of feet, cannot retract their heads and Sea turtles are cold-blooded, air breathing, egg laying reptiles that deposit their eggs onĭry, sandy beaches. Fossil evidence indicates sea turtles shared theĮarth with dinosaurs over 210 million years ago. Sea turtles are among the largest reptiles in the world and inhabit almost every ocean.
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