Turtles of the Maldives - Interesting Facts about These Endearing Creatures

Sea turtles are beautiful creatures facing lots of major threats in the world today. It is said that sea turtles have existed for as long as 100 million years. In order to reach their nesting grounds, sea turtles migrate long distances every 2 to 4 years. Between 60-200 eggs are laid by the female turtles on the beach.

This is the most common sea turtle in the Maldives. If you stay at a hotel like The Residence Maldives Falhumaafushi by Cenizaro you will get the chance to witness the beauty of these turtles with immense ease. Enjoying a snorkelling and diving tour to admire sea turtles as well as other marine creatures is one of the best things to do in Maldives.
The distinctive hawk-like beak is what gives this creature its name. It also has flippers as well as two claws.

Green sea turtles are among the largest sea turtles in the world. Green sea turtles are also known as black sea turtles as well as Pacific green turtles. They are the only herbivore species of sea turtles too. They are mostly vegetarian and feed on algae and sea grass. It is said that green sea turtles can hold their breath for hours under water! They can grow up to 100 cm and generally weigh around 180 kg.

The loggerhead sea turtle, as you can imagine, has a very large head. It also has a beak that looks like a horn. This is the largest sea turtle species in the world. The skin can range from yellow to brown while the shell is reddish brown with dark streaks. The lifespan of the loggerhead sea turtle varies between 47 to 67 years.

This is the smallest as well as the most abundant sea turtle in the world. It is generally found in warm waters. Thousands of females come ashore and lay eggs together and this is what makes this species quite interesting. The shell is greenish in colour and the turtle doesn't grow longer than 2 feet generally. It is a carnivore that feeds on snails, crabs and shrimp.

This is the largest species of sea turtles in the world. The leatherback sea turtle is a beautiful creature. The shell of the turtle is akin to leather and is not as hard as the typical shell of the other turtles. The numbers of leatherbacks have significantly reduced in recent times as a result of egg hunting.