What Do Baby Green Sea Turtles Eat?
Green turtles are some of the largest of the sea turtles, found in tropical and subtropical waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans and the Mediterranean Sea. They seem to undergo a dietary shift as they age.
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Mystery
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Any discussion of the earliest life stages of the green turtle must be put in the context of how little we know about them. Hatchlings retreat to the open ocean and remain there for some two to seven years, possibly coasting on rotating currents.
Reappearance
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After reaching a particular size -- roughly a 10-inch shell in Atlantic turtles, a 14-inch shell in Pacific ones -- green turtles travel to coastal waters. More visible and less transient (except when migrating to and from nesting grounds), these mature turtles are better studied than younger, pelagic (open ocean) populations.
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Juvenile Diet
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Scientists think that young green turtles are more omnivorous than adults, likely feeding on crustaceans, jellyfish, worms and other small creatures in addition to algae and sea grasses.
Shifting Preferences
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Upon maturity, however, most green turtles are wholly herbivorous -- a rarity among sea turtles -- feeding primarily on sea grasses and algae.
Diet Variation
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Some populations of adult green turtles seem to incorporate more animal prey in their diet. In his book "Sea Turtles," James R. Spotila notes that adult greens in the East Pacific will target fish and a variety of invertebrates.
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- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Steve Jurvetson
