The Green Turtle has an olive green, nearly circular or heart-shaped carapace (upper shell) up to 1 m in length. The carapace is usually variegated with brown, reddish-brown and black on the top and whitish or cream underneath. There are four pairs of costal shields (shell plates located on either side of the mid-line) between the centre and outer margin of the upper shell. Hatchlings are shiny black above, and white below. They weigh about 25 g and measure 5 cm (straight carapace length).
Green Turtle |
Chelonia mydas
Status: Vulnerable on the EPBC Act list
Government evidence of impact of climate change:
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Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Species Profile and Threats Database, Chelonia mydas
Beaches become heated when cleared of coastal forest; or when heat absorbing sand is imported for ‘beach nourishment’ of tourist areas; and potentially through global climate change.
Climate change scenarios predict reduced nesting habitat for sea turtles through rising sea levels and increased storm erosion.
Changing ocean circulation may also disrupt the ocean going phase of juvenile sea turtles; and the predicted increase in coral bleaching and burning of seagrass habitats will reduce their food resources (DEH 2005a).
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