Sea turtles are reptiles related to land turtles, lizards and snakes. Sea turtles and their ancestors have graced the seas for over 200 million years. They managed to survive whatever catastrophe ended the age of dinosaurs. The ice ages came and went, but the turtles are still swimming the oceans. These ancient nomadic reptiles are truly survivors.

Sea turtles are still found in all the warm waters of the earth. Ocean life has given them all some common characteristics. All species have legs modified into efficient swimming flippers. These are clumsy on land but make sea turtles very fast and graceful in the water. The front flippers are used much like underwater wings, the rear ones like rudders. Turtles, as air breathing, egg laying reptiles, must return to the surface for air and to the shore for nesting.

When they are active, sea turtles must swim to the ocean surface to breathe every few minutes. When they are resting, they can remain underwater for as long as two hours without breathing.

The salinity of the seas presents problems to marine reptiles. Sea turtles excrete excess salt through salt glands in the eye socket. Out of water, this secretion appears much like tears.

The six species of sea turtles found along the coasts of North America are:

For more on turtles visit:
http://www.turtles.info