Birth

In the dead of night hundreds of dark creatures, slowly climb up the beach. These creatures are female sea turtles laying their eggs. they can lay about 100 eggs in a clutch. Two months after they are buried in the sand, hundreds of baby green turtles climb out of their nest and scramble towards the ocean. Out of a hundred baby sea turtles many do not make it to the sea. Many are eaten by crabs, foxes and birds. If they do get in to the ocean they face getting eaten by sharks and carnivorous fish. a few baby turtles actually live to become a adult. Now it is harder for just a few baby sea turtles to make it to adulthood. Many humans hunt sea turtles for sea turtle eggs because apparently they taste better than chicken eggs. Artificial lights also cause a problem. Sea turtles babies follow the direction of the light from the horizon. With so many buildings and lamp posts they get confused which way the ocean is and get lost. Also female turtles tend to stay away from light areas when they are laying their eggs. it is a lot safer to hide from predators in the dark. That is why they come in the dark. Also beach armouring, beach nourishment, beach cleaning, beach erosion cause these babies problems. Many humans build walls and use sandbags to armour the beach to stop beach erosion. Some beaches add sand that was lost from erosion this is called beach nourishment. when they do add sand they compact the sand so much that sea turtles cannot dig nests nor can the baby sea turtles get out. also when humans clean beaches on nesting grounds they scare away sea turtles who are ready to dig their nests. An animal that wrecks sea turtle nests are raccoons. They have ruined about 90% of sea turtle nest. It seems that many other animals seem to know when the turtle nesting cycle starts and ends.

Even though sea turtles are endangered I think it is so amazing how hundreds of babies can live on their own without mothers. when I was a baby I spent about a year with my mother, Otter Mama. These baby sea turtles fend and find food all by themselves. also I think this is adorable! Many humans and animals think babies are so cute.