Home › Reptilia › Cheloniidae › Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
SPECIES PROFILE
Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
Chelonia
IUCN STATUS
Endangered
CONSERVATION STATUS
Endangered
CLASS
Reptilia
GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE
Tropical and subtropical seas
DIET
Herbivorous
HABITAT
Coral reefs, seagrass beds and nesting beaches
🔬 Classification
PHYLUM
Chordata
CLASS
Reptilia
ORDER
Testudines
FAMILY
Cheloniidae
GENUS
Chelonia
📋 Description
SIZE
Shell up to 1.2 m; up to 160 kg
COLORATION
Olive-brown shell; adults graze seagrass
ADAPTATIONS
Only sea turtle that is largely vegetarian as an adult
🌿 Ecology
HABITAT
Coral reefs, seagrass beds and nesting beaches
DIET
Herbivorous
GEOGRAPHIC RANGE
Tropical and subtropical seas
REPRODUCTION
Lays 100+ eggs per clutch
DIET DETAILS
Seagrass and algae (adults)
⚠️ Threats & Conservation
PRIMARY THREATS
Bycatch, egg poaching, beach loss
💡 Interesting Facts
1
Named for the green fat under its shell, it is the only mostly-vegetarian sea turtle.
2
Females return to the very beach where they hatched to lay their own eggs.
🔭 Sighting Guide
📍 BEST PLACES TO SIGHT
Vamizi Island
Bazaruto Archipelago
🗓️ BEST TIME TO SIGHT
November-February
🎯 SIGHTING TIPS
Join a guided night walk on protected beaches to watch females haul out and nest in nesting season.
