How do newborn sea turtles find the sea?
The movement of turtles to the water begins as soon as they break out of the nest. It may be on an open beach, but more often the nest is located in such a way that, having got out of it, the turtles see nothing but the sky and sand. They go around obstacles, crawl over or under them, go down and up slopes.
Turtles look around, see the sea and crawl towards it, but the answer is far from being so simple. This problem has attracted and continues to attract the attention of many scientists. The results of the research indicate that the correct direction of the turtle is chosen, guided by some features of the light over the sea.
Some data: An adult turtle reaches a length of 70-95 cm and a mass of 80 to 200 kg. Females lay eggs at night, 4-5 times per season, in summer and autumn. The clutch contains from 100 to 126 eggs with a leathery shell about 4 cm in diameter. Turtles hatch after 1-2 months, spend several hours in the nest, and then crawl out of the sand together and run to the sea. The average life span does not exceed 70 years.
15 окт 2024
