Sea Turtle ( Dermochelyidae )

Sea Turtle .... or dermochelyidae!

Ever heard of the sea creature that will never die? No? The sea turtle is known to be able to live up to 80 years old. 80 years!  Don't get one of these for a pet, because it just might out live you! Since turtles have such a long life, you figure they could produce hundreds of kids. But the truth is, it takes decades until a sea turtle is mature enough to have babies! When the turtle finally does mature, the mating takes place in the sea, but strangely, the birth doesn't. At night, the mother turtle will crawl onto a nearby beach, search for suitable sand, and dig a 2 foot deep hole to bury her eggs in! Then, she leaves her babies, who will have to tend to themselves when they hatch.

Though it is illegal to hunt sea turtles in most countries, some people still hunt them for their shell, but mainly for food. In Japan and China, the flippers are good for making leather products, such as shoes, handbags, etc. Turtles are kept safe not only because they are nice to watch, but because they have immunity to a jellyfish sting and often eat them, making waters safer for tourists.

Lots of campaigns have been held against hunting and killing sea turtles, as they are an endangered species. Signs are put up on beaches that say: Sea Turtle Nest, Watch Your Step. Fishing and netting is sometimes restricted because of the sea turtles. They can be found in every ocean in the world other than the Antarctic.