Marine Turtles

[1] Marine turtles travel the world’s oceans today, as they have done for around 100 million years, but they have never faced so many threats to their survival as they do now. Despite being determined ocean travellers, turtles need to come ashore to nest and lay their eggs. Although many of the sandy beaches they prefer are protected from poachers, climate change is warming up the sand, and there is evidence that this is changing the sex of some unborn turtles.

[2] At sea, turtles have always faced natural predators, such as large sharks, but they now face an increasing number of threats from man. The reptiles are hunted for their skin, meat and distinctive shells. Additionally, they can become entangled in fishing gear or struck by ships, as they swim close to the surface of the water. Marine turtles must surface to breathe — if not they will drown.

[3] Young turtles migrating between feeding areas can cover thousands of miles. Environmental charities claim that turtles contribute to marine ecosystems wherever they go, by keeping sea grass beds and coral reefs healthy. Without their feeding, marine vegetation can become overgrown and sickly, leading to the suffering of other species.

[4] Sadly, all seven species of marine turtle are in danger of extinction. Hawksbill and leatherback turtles are among the most famous varieties. Hawksbill turtles are much sought after for their beautiful brown and yellow shells that are used to manufacture tortoiseshell items. Leatherback turtles are killed in some places for their meat and precious eggs.

[5] As marine turtles risk their lives to come onto land to lay their eggs, the odds seems tacked against them. The length of time required to reach maturity and the many natural dangers they face mean that as few as one in 1000 eggs will survive to adulthood. However, environmentalists are working hard to help these hard-headed survivors by protecting beaches. They have also designed turtle-friendly fishing nets successfully and tracking their immense journeys by satellite has helped ships to avoid them.

Emperor penguins are the largest penguins on the earth. The largest emperor penguin is over a meter tall and up to 40 kilograms heavy.

For many months each year, emperors live near the sea in large groups called colonies. However, in May, the weather gets colder and ice covers large part of the sea. Each colony moves many kilometers from the water. There, each mother penguin lays just one egg. Then all the hungry mothers must walk back to the sea to find food. The father penguins put their eggs on top of their feet, under a special piece of skin called the brood pouch.

Working together

For two months, the father penguins keep the eggs safe and warm. They do this through some of the coldest weather on Earth. By July, it is winter in Antarctica. Most animals leave for warmer places, but the father penguins stay. In this time, without food, a father penguin can lose almost half of his body weight, so he is thinner.

New Life

By August, the babies begin to hatch. The mother penguin returns just in time to see her baby come out of its egg. The chick is then moved to her brood pouch. This can be difficult. If the chick falls, it may freeze quickly because of the really cold weather, so the penguin parents must be very careful. Once the chick goes into its mother’s brood pouch, the father penguin can go back to the sea to find food.

Growing up

Over the next few months, penguin parents take turns going to the sea for food. They each make the trip over a few times, bringing back food for the chick. The chick grows quickly and is always hungry.

Into the Water

By December, winter is ending. The chick is five months old and can live by itself. Soon it goes into the water for the first time. It will swim and eat. By next April, it goes back here. After a few more years, it, too, will start its own family.