Green turtle

The green turtle is the largest of the hard-shelled turtles and is distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical oceans of the world. The fat under their shell is what gives them their green coloration. It has a flattened body, a head with a short neck and fins adapted for swimming. Its snout is very short, and the beak is not hooked, unlike its close relative, the hawksbill turtle. Its shell has color patterns that change over time: black for baby turtles, dark brown or olive green for juveniles, and completely brown for adult turtles.

Fundamentally herbivorous, its diet consists of a large amount of macroalgae (except in the case of juveniles, which subsist by eating small crustaceans). It spends most of its life in shallow coastal waters rich in sea grass. Green turtles return to nesting beaches to lay between 100 and 200 eggs every two to four years. The incubation period lasts between 45 and 70 days. Mating times vary among the different populations, while life expectancy reaches 75 years.