Let's take a moment to dive into the ocean and learn more about some of the largest swimming reptiles... sea turtles!
Hi! I’m Chelonia mydas, but most people call me a green sea turtle. Instead of telling you about my home, come take a dive with me in the brilliant blue waters of the South East China Sea!
Imagine that you’re floating in the bright blue sea, its waves lightly lapping over your carapace (upper portion of your shell). The hot sun is shining brightly overhead. You admire the beauty of the scene, take a breath and dive down into the blue. Paddling downward, a school of tiny, silver fish swims past. Though the fish are small, they move together in a way that confuses the eye and makes many fish look like one unified form.
Though your carnivorous (meat-eating) cousin, olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) would be tempted to snack on the silvery school, you continue your descent, looking for something greener. As you dive down, the brilliant sunlight begins to dim, the water cools and the surrounding water pressure begins to build. Thankfully, your hard carapace and reinforced windpipe helping you cope with the building pressure.
A reef appears! Coral skyscrapers grow out of the sand, reaching toward the light high above.
