The Green Sea Turtle

16" x 20" Acrylic Painting on Canvas

Would you only eat green vegetables and only green vegetables for 70 years or so on Earth? You wonder why green sea turtles get their name! But, you know what? It is what is on the INSIDE that counts -- they got their name because their cartilage and fat are green! They are the only sea turtle species that are herbivores -- munching mainly on seagrasses and algae their whole life.

Our National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recognizes that there are 11 distinct population segments of green sea turtle worldwide that are either threatened or endangered at this time.

Other fun facts? Besides being “the ocean’s lawnmowers”, they can hold their breath underwater for up to 5 hours by slowing their heart rate to beat every 9 minutes; this conserves their oxygen. They also can detect the Earth’s magnetic fields and use them as a compass -- that’s a different type of GPS, isn’t it? (Credit: Ecowatch.com)