Sea Turtle Patrol

There’s a great diversity of animal life in the waters that surround The Bahamas, and if you snorkel, dive or swim during your stay here, keep an eye out for sea turtles. You may see loggerheads (not quite that big), or smaller green (200 to 500 pounds) or hawksbill turtles. Some of these species can be seen in abundance throughout the near-shore reefs and seagrass beds.
Remember, don’t interfere in any way with sea turtle’s nests and don’t buy or sell any part of the sea turtle or its eggs. All of that is illegal in the Bahamas, and all marine turtles are protected under the law because some species such
as the green turtle are endangered.

Sea Turtle Behavior

Sea turtles are curious creatures, but they’re often shy. These large reptiles have paddle-shaped flippers and the upper portion of their shell – called a carapace – can differ in shape, size and color depending upon the species.

Sea turtles do not have teeth, but they use their jaws to bite and chew food including sea grass, jelly fish and smaller crustaceans. Sea turtles are air-breathing reptiles, so they need to come to the surface to breath oxygen. But these creatures have adaptations that allow them to stay underwater for long periods of time. They’re even adapted to absorb small amounts of oxygen without breathing. While sleeping at night or resting, sea turtles can remain underwater for hours without surfacing for air.