Sea turtles have inhabited the earth’s waters for millions of years.  Sea turtles are reptiles, meaning they have scales and a bony shell, are cold-blooded, breathe air, and lay eggs on land.  Sea turtles live for long periods of time but scientists are not certain their life spans as sea turtles can outlive the scientists.Currently, six of the eight recognized species of sea turtle can be found in the waters surrounding the United States. The Leatherback, Green, Hawksbill, black, Loggerhead, and Kemp’s Ridley can be found in the  United States all are can be assigned as either threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. 

Loggerhead Turtle
Caretta Caretta
Known for its unusually large head, the loggerhead is the most widely seen sea turtle in South Florida.  The carapace, top shell, and flippers are usually a reddish-brown color while their plastron, bottom shell is yellow.  Loggerheads have been seen nesting one to seven times during the nesting season, which runs from May through August here in the United States.  Loggerhead turtles can be seen throughout the temperate and tropical regions of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans.  These turtles may be found hundreds of miles out to sea, but they have been seen in areas close to shore in bays, lagoons, and salt marshes.  Loggerheads are listed as threatened due to the loss or degradation of nesting habitats from development; marine pollution; watercraft strikes; sickness.

Leatherback Turtle
Dermochelys Coriacea
Often referred to as the champion of all sea turtles, the leatherback turtle grows the largest, dives the deepest, and travels the furthest. Leatherbacks are also the only sea turtles without a hard shell, making them very susceptible to harm.  Adults of this species can grow 4 to 8 feet in length and can weigh 500 to 2000 pounds.  Females nest an average of 5 to 7 times within a nesting season, which occurs from March to July in the United States.  The leatherback can be seen worldwide from the tropical and temperate waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans.  They have been found in small numbers in British Columbia, Newfoundland, the British Isles, Australia, Cape of Good Hope, and Argentina.

Green Sea Turtle
Chelonia Mydas
One of the largest of the eight species of sea turtles, the green turtle used to be common throughout warmer waters of the world. Today, its numbers are a fraction of what they once were due to the severe hunting for their colorful shells and meat.  The breeding populations in Florida and on the Pacific Coast of Mexico are listed as endangered, while all others are listed as threatened.  The green sea turtle has been documented to grow to a maximum of about 4 feet and weigh 440 pounds.  The shell is considered heart-shaped in appearance.  Hatchlings will eat a variety of plants and animals, while adults will feed exclusively on marine plants and grasses.  An adult female green sea turtle may lay up to nine nests in one season, which runs from June through September.  Green sea turtles can be found in seen in shallow waters inside reefs.

Hawksbill Turtle
Eretmochelys Imbricata
The Hawksbill sea turtle is considered endangered throughout its range, which is tropical and subtropical regions of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans; they are also found throughout the Caribbean Sea and the Western Atlantic Ocean. The Hawksbill is a small to medium sea turtle, with a yellow, orange, or reddish-brown coloration in its carapace. The head of a Hawksbill is quite small with a distinctive hawk-like beak. They feed mostly on sponges. An adult Hawksbill turtle may reach up to 3 feet in length and weigh up to 300 pounds. An adult female can lay an average of 4.5 nests per season, which occurs between April and November in the United States. Hawksbills are frequently found in rocky areas, coral reefs, and shallow coastal waters.

Kemp’s Ridley
Lepidocheyls kempii
The endangered Kemp’s Ridley turtle is one of the smallest sea turtles, with full-grown adults reaching about 2 feet in length and weighing around 100 pounds.  The carapace is usually olive gray in coloration.  This turtle has a triangular-shaped head with a hooked beak, which allows for the diet of mostly crabs.  Some females nest an average of 1 to 4 times a season, which occurs from April to June.  The range of this turtle includes the Gulf coasts of Mexico and the United States, and the Atlantic coast of North America.  The Kemp’s Ridley is the most seriously endangered of all the sea turtles.

 

Orcinus Orca
Although called a whale, the killer whale actually belongs to the dolphin family of marine mammals. The killer whale, or orca, has achieved popularity through conservation efforts in the 1970s and through its common home in marine life parks.

Size: Killer whales are the largest member of the dolphin family. They can reach lengths of 25 to 30 feet and weigh up to 10 tons.

Distribution: Found in the polar regions closest to the equator, killer whales are highly adaptable to their environment. It is not unusual to find killer whales among ice flows, as well as in bays and estuaries.

Diet: Killer whales are known as the “wolves of the sea” for their fierce and cooperative hunting practices. Their varied prey includes seals, fish, turtles, squid, seabirds, and other whales and dolphins. Predators: Humans are the killer whale’s main predator.

Gestation: By 10 years of age, both male and female killer whales have reached sexual maturity. After a gestation period of 17 months (the longest of all cetaceans), a calf is born. Twin births have been observed, but are rare. Calves are generally weaned from their mother’s milk by age one. Unlike other dolphin species, both male and female killer whales will remain with their mother for the remainder of their lives. Within the pod, sub-pods may form when daughters have offspring of their own. These family units can range is size from 3 to 25 individuals.

Status: Healthy Populations

Fun Facts: Every pod of killer whales has its own unique dialect of sounds with which they use to communicate with one another.

Lagenorhynchus Obliquidens
Because of their striking black and white colorings, Pacific white-sided dolphins are often mistaken for baby killer whales. This species of dolphin, also known as lags, is a true dolphin species of the Family Delphinidae.

Size: Being one of the smaller dolphin species, they can grow to about 7 ft in length and can weight up to 350 lbs.

Distribution: Pacific white-sided dolphins are found in the offshore temperate waters of the northern Pacific Ocean. They prefer deep water with surface temperatures between 42º and 63º F.

Diet: Common prey includes various species of fish and squid. Predators: Predators of these dolphins include killer whales and sharks.

Gestation: Calves are born in summer or fall following a gestation period of about one year. When born, calves are about 3 feet in length.

Status: Healthy Populations

Fun Facts: Pacific white-sided dolphins are among the ocean’s most acrobatic performers. They can jump as high as 20 feet in the air and reach speeds of over 25 mph.

Tursiops Truncatus
Bottlenose dolphins are one of the most popular and well known cetacean species in society today. Because of their ability to adapt to human care, as well as learn new behaviors, they are the most studied of all dolphin species.

Size: Adult body length varies from 6.5 ft to 13 ft with males being slightly larger than females

Distribution: Bottlenose dolphins are found along almost every tropical and temperate coast between 40 degrees north latitude and 45 degrees south latitude. Some populations make seasonal migrations.

Diet: They feed on a variety of sea life including: fish, shrimp, squid, and various other invertebrates. Predators: Predators of bottlenose dolphins include: sharks, killer whales, and humans.

Gestation: Following a gestation period of about 12 months, a calf is born. In most cases the baby will be born tail first to avoid possible drowning. Young will remain with their mothers and nurse for up to 18 months.

Status: Healthy Populations

Fun Facts: Bottlenose dolphins are named for their snout. When viewed in profile, the snout extends from the head like the neck of a bottle.

Phoca Vitulina  
Harbor seals inhabit shallow areas of estuaries, rivers, and places where sandbars can be found during low tide.  They are found in temperate, sub-arctic and arctic waters of the North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans.  Harbor seals eat squid, crustaceans, and various fish including salmon, herring, and also flounder.  Adult males can grow up to 6 feet and weigh around 375 pounds, while adult females can grow around 6 feet and weigh around 330 pounds.  Harbor seals coloration varies from light gray or silver to dark gray or brown to black.  Their coat markings can range from dark spots to white rings.  Most spots can be seen on the backside.  Seals lack external ear flaps, but have internal ear holes, which will be closed when diving.  Harbor seals move their rear flippers in order to move through the water.  Harbor seals can sleep on land or in the water.
 

Zalophus californianus
California Sea Lions males are dark brown while females are tan.  Most sea lions appear brown or black when wet.  They can be found in rocky and sandy beaches.  California Sea Lions are not endangered and can be found along the west coast of North America from southern British Columbia to northern Mexico.  Their diet consists of squids, octopuses, and various fish including salmon, herring, and anchovies.  Adults can grow to 8 feet and weigh up to 880 pounds, while females can grow up to 6.5 feet and weigh up to 240 pounds.  

The scientific order, Pinnipedia, consist of seals, sea lions, and walruses.  The word pinnipedia means fin or feather footed.  All members of this order are expert divers and have four swimming flippers.  They can hear and see well in both land and water and are able to stand in large temperature changes.  Here at Miami Seaquarium® we have seals and sea lions.

Trichechus Manatus Latirostris
One of the important animals that live along the Florida coast and in its rivers is the Florida manatee. Manatees are non-aggressive, non-territorial herbivores that spend most of their time feeding (6 – 8 hours a day) and resting (2 – 12 hours a day). The remainder of the day is spent traveling, investigating objects and interacting with other manatees. Manatees do not have “biting” teeth, but they have only “grinding” teeth. All of their teeth are molars, which are constantly being replaced. New teeth come in at the back of their mouth and move forward about one centimeter a month. The tooth replacement is an adaptation of the manatee’s diet, which consumes marine plants that may also contain a lot of sand. Manatees can move each side of its lip independently, which allows it to grab the marine plants and draw them into their mouths. Manatees are mammals, which means that the must come to the surface to breathe. The surface approximately every five minutes to breathe. However, they can hold their breathe for as long as twenty minutes when resting. Manatees do not have eyelashes, however they have a nictitating membrane that closes over their eyes for protection. Manatees have a good sense of hearing even though they do not have external ear lobes. Manatees use their flippers and tail to steer itself through the water and moves its tail up and down to propel itself forward.