Introduction - Adventure Guide to Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao - page 17

Four Types of Turtles
Look for these species in the waters surrounding the ABCs:
Hawksbills nest on Bonaire beaches.
Their numbers have dwindled world-
wide, primarily because they are hunted
for their beautiful shells. One of the
smallest sea turtles, adults weigh 100-
150 pounds and their shells grow to 36
inches in length. Recognize them by their
narrow heads and beak-shaped jaws that allow them to reach into
crevices to pluck out favorite foods: squid, shrimp, sponges, and
anemones. The females lay two to four 160-egg clutches about 15
days apart during a single nesting season.
Loggerheads are a threatened spe-
cies, but they are often spotted in the
Caribbean and recognized by their
exceptionally large heads. Their up-
per shell is a reddish-brown color.
Adults measure 30 to 40 inches in
length and weigh up to 350 pounds.
These carnivorous reptiles eat crabs,
clams, and other invertebrates, using their powerful jaws to crush
the shells. Females lay four to seven clutches of 100 to 125 eggs
during a single nesting season.
Leatherbacks are the only sea turtles
that don't have a hard shell. They get their
name from the thin rubbery skin that cov-
ers thousands of tiny bone plates on their
backs. They often grow up to eight feet
long and up to 1,300 pounds. Because of
their streamlined body and powerful front
flippers, leatherbacks can dive deeper and
travel farther than all other sea turtles. Their diet consists of soft-
bodied sea creatures such as jellyfish; anything harder would
damage their delicate jaws. Females nest every two or three years
and lay about 80 eggs in each of six to nine clutches.
Green turtles have a single pair of
scales in front of their eyes (all other
sea turtles have two), and their shells
measure up to five feet in length. Fe-
males typically measure only three
feet, weigh about 300 pounds, and nest
every two-three years. Each season, a
female lays three to five clutches of 115
eggs. Hatchlings, under 10 inches long, eat worms and aquatic in-
sects, but larger green turtles are strictly herbivorous and use their
finely-serrated jaws to munch sea grass and algae.