From Baby Sea Turtle to Adult: Here Are the Life Stages That Hatchlings Go Through

A sea turtle's life starts when eggs are laid by the mother on a nesting beach that is usually situated in the tropics.

Life of a Sea Turtle

Around six weeks to two months later, depending on the exact sea turtle species, a small hatchling finds its way to the sand surface and moves to the water. As it does so, it tries to dodge every imaginable predator.

The juvenile or young turtles move towards the sea. In several cases, where they end up going remains a mystery. This is why this period has been called their lost years.

On the US East Coast, some turtles born there end up going to a region called the Sargassum Sea, which is a huge area filled with sargassum seaweed. This is where they end up feeding and growing.

When they reach the peak of their growth, these turtles move to their birth place in order to mate. Depending on the exact species, it may take ten to fifty years after hatching for turtles to reach sexual maturity and readiness for mating. Female adults end up mating with several adults. Once they are ready, they move to the nesting beach to lay eggs. They generally move to the area where they were born to do so. This then commences the cycle once more.

Most sea turtle species end up nesting several times within a season of nesting every two to four years in their life's course. All over the world, sea turtles tend to nest in beaches that are warmer. When they nest, the females move ashore, dig a pit and a nest, lay the eggs, and cover the nest. After this, the females camouflage the nest by covering it with sand and hiding it. The females then move to the water.

After roughly six to seven weeks, the hatchlings end up emerging and heading to the waters.

Sea Turtles Are Classified as Endangered Species

Almost all seven sea turtle species are considered endangered. This is mainly due to human activity. The greatest threat faced by sea turtles is being accidentally captured by fishing gear. In most cases, this leads to death.

Sea turtles are also killed for their shells, skin, meat, and eggs. They are victims of over exploitation and poaching.

Aside from this, the nesting beaches and eggs of sea turtles are also affected by climate change. Global warming would heighten the frequency of weather events that are extreme. This could lead to the loss of nesting beaches and other changes to the habitats of these sea turtles and their primary oceanographic processes. This could affect hatchlings' natural sex ratios and boost the chances of illness outbreaks surging among these creatures.

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