Expert insights from Peter Gros, co-host of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild and Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant, co-hosts of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild
Sea turtles are marine reptiles that have navigated the world’s oceans for more than 100 million years, long before humans and even alongside the dinosaurs. Built for life at sea, they cross vast stretches of open water, return to the same beaches where they hatched and connect nearly every coastal and ocean habitat along the way. Today, these ancient mariners are also at the center of an important conservation story, because nearly all sea turtle species are now classified as threatened or endangered.
Key takeaways
- Sea turtles are reptiles, not mammals.
- They live in oceans around the world, but females return to beaches to nest.
- Seven species range across the globe, varying in size, diet and habitat.
- Flippers power their swimming and their shells offer protection.
- Hatchlings (baby sea turtles) are small enough to fit in your hand.
- Diets range from seagrass and jellyfish to sponges, crabs and shrimp.
- Fishing gear, coastal development, pollution, climate change and human disturbance are their biggest threats.
- Conservation includes rescue, rehabilitation, nest protection, education and ocean habitat work.
- If you spot a sea turtle or nest, watch from a distance and follow posted rules.
What’s a sea turtle?
A sea turtle is a marine reptile built almost entirely for ocean life. Like other reptiles, it breathes air, lays eggs and has scales. But where land turtles and tortoises have stubby legs for walking, a sea turtle has flippers made for gliding through open water.
Sea turtles aren’t mammals. They don’t have fur, they don’t nurse their young and they don’t give live birth. Instead, female sea turtles come ashore on sandy beaches to lay their eggs, and the hatchlings dig out and make their own way to the ocean. It’s one of the most remarkable first journeys in the animal kingdom.
Sea turtle quick facts
- Common name: Sea turtle
- Animal group: Reptile
- Reptile type: Marine reptile
- Number of species: Seven — green, loggerhead, leatherback, hawksbill, Kemp’s ridley, olive ridley and flatback
- Native range: Oceans around the world
- Habitat: Coastal waters, open ocean, coral reefs, seagrass beds and nesting beaches
- Adult appearance: Shell, flippers, streamlined body and beak-like mouth
- Baby sea turtles: Hatchlings emerge from nests on sandy beaches
- Diet: Varies by species; common foods include seagrass, algae, jellyfish, sponges, crabs, shrimp and other marine life
- Nesting behavior: Females come ashore to lay eggs in sand
- Conservation status: Nearly all sea turtle species are classified as threatened or endangered
Explore sea turtle stories
Keep exploring sea turtles through Wild Kingdom videos, articles and related stories about ocean wildlife, rescue, rehabilitation and conservation.
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How many types of sea turtles are there?
There are seven species of sea turtle, and each one has its own look, diet and story.
- Green sea turtle: The largest of the hard-shelled species. Adults are mostly vegetarian, grazing on seagrass and algae.
- Loggerhead: Named for its oversized head and powerful jaws, which it uses to crush conch, whelks and other hard-shell prey.
- Leatherback: The giant of the group and the deepest diver, with a leathery, ridged back instead of a hard shell. It travels farther than any other sea turtle and feeds almost entirely on jellyfish.
- Hawksbill: A narrow, pointed beak lets it reach sponges tucked into coral reefs, making it a familiar sight on healthy reef systems.
- Kemp’s ridley: The smallest and most endangered sea turtle, known for nesting in large, synchronized groups.
- Olive ridley: Named for its olive-green shell and famous for arribadas, mass nesting events where thousands of females come ashore together.
- Flatback: Found around Australia, with a flatter, smoother shell than its relatives.
What does a sea turtle look like?
Sea turtles have streamlined shells and trade legs for flippers. The front pair powers them forward like a pair of wings, while the back pair steers and digs nests in the sand. Sea turtles don’t look alike. A Kemp’s ridley stays small enough to carry, while a leatherback can grow to the size of a small car. Shell shape, color and head size all shift from one species to the next.
Baby sea turtles are called hatchlings. Much smaller than adults, they usually emerge from their nests at night and start their scramble toward the ocean.
Where do sea turtles live?
Sea turtles live in oceans around the world from coral reefs and seagrass beds to open water and quiet coastal bays. Where a sea turtle lives often changes as it grows. Hatchlings may drift and feed in the open ocean, while adults settle into coastal feeding grounds and migrate between feeding and nesting sites.
Females return to the beach to lay their eggs, often the very beach where they hatched, guided back across hundreds of miles of open water. That’s what makes nesting beaches so important: hatchlings need safe sand, darkness and a clear path to the sea.
Why are sea turtles important?
Sea turtles help hold ocean and coastal ecosystems together. Green sea turtles keep seagrass meadows healthy by grazing them like underwater lawns, hawksbills clear space on reefs by eating sponges, and all of them move nutrients between the open sea and the beaches where they nest.
They also draw people into ocean conservation, from beach cleanups and marine-debris efforts to rescue, rehabilitation and responsible wildlife viewing.
Few animals carry a longer history. Peter Gros, co-host of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild, reflects on both their remarkable past and the challenges they face today: “Sea turtles have roamed the oceans for more than a hundred million years, but the future of these ancient mariners is under serious threat from human activities like fishing, coastal development and climate change. Wild Kingdom has been telling their story for decades.”
Are sea turtles endangered?
Many sea turtle species are threatened or endangered. The Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) reports that nearly all sea turtle species fall into one of these two categories.
Sea turtles face a range of challenges, many tied to human activity: fishing gear, coastal development, pollution, climate change, illegal wildlife activity and disturbance at nesting beaches. Because the picture varies by species and population, it’s most accurate to say that many sea turtles face serious challenges, not that every turtle everywhere is in the same situation.
What’s being done to support sea turtle conservation?
Sea turtle conservation includes rescue, rehabilitation, nest protection, field research, public education, fisheries-related work and habitat restoration.
AZA’s Saving Animals From Extinction Sea Turtle program works with partners around the world to support sea turtle conservation. It points to fishery bycatch — accidental capture in fishing gear — as one of the most significant threats sea turtles face.
Conservation work can help reduce that bycatch, protect nesting beaches, give stranded and injured turtles a second chance and help people learn to share coastal spaces responsibly.
Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant, co-host of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild, highlights how researchers keep learning from sea turtles after their release: “The Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre fits released turtles with shell-mounted GPS and follows each one’s journey, turning their stories into vital data and hope for sea turtle conservation across Australia.”
Watch sea turtles on Wild Kingdom
Sea turtles are part of a bigger Wild Kingdom story about ocean wildlife, rescue, rehabilitation and the people working to help animals thrive. Keep exploring related videos and articles, then find out how to watch Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild.
Frequently asked questions about sea turtles
Is a sea turtle a reptile?
Yes, a sea turtle is a reptile. Sea turtles breathe air, lay eggs and have scales, but they’re adapted for life in the ocean.
Are sea turtles mammals?
No, sea turtles aren’t mammals; they’re reptiles. Unlike mammals, sea turtles don’t have fur, don’t nurse their young and don’t give live birth.
Are sea turtles tortoises?
No, sea turtles aren’t tortoises. Tortoises live on land and have legs built for walking. Sea turtles live mostly in the ocean and have flippers for swimming.
Where does a sea turtle live?
Sea turtles live in ocean habitats around the world. Depending on the species, they may use coastal waters, open ocean, coral reefs, seagrass beds, bays and sandy nesting beaches.
Are sea turtles endangered?
Many sea turtle species are threatened or endangered. AZA notes that nearly all sea turtle species are classified as either threatened or endangered.
Why are sea turtles endangered?
Sea turtles are endangered or threatened because of several human-related pressures, including fishing gear, coastal development, pollution, climate change, illegal wildlife activity and disturbance near nesting beaches.
What’s the biggest threat to sea turtles?
Fishery bycatch is one of the biggest threats to sea turtles. It happens when they’re accidentally caught in fishing gear. AZA identifies bycatch as one of the most significant threats sea turtles face around the world.
What are the different kinds of sea turtles?
There are seven species: green, loggerhead, leatherback, hawksbill, Kemp’s ridley, olive ridley and flatback sea turtles. Each species has its own range, diet, size and conservation challenges.
What do sea turtles eat in the ocean?
Sea turtle diets vary by species. Some eat seagrass or algae, while others eat jellyfish, sponges, crabs, shrimp, snails or other marine animals.
How long do sea turtles usually live?
Sea turtles are generally long-lived animals. Many can live for several decades, though lifespan varies by species and the risks they survive as hatchlings and adults.
How big do sea turtles get?
Sea turtle size depends on the species, from the smaller Kemp’s ridley to the leatherback, the largest sea turtle, which can grow to the size of a small car.
How small are baby sea turtles when they’re born?
Baby sea turtles, called hatchlings, are very small when they emerge from the nest. Their exact size depends on the species, but they’re small enough to fit in a person’s hand. Even so, hatchlings should never be picked up or handled unless directed by trained wildlife professionals.
How can people help sea turtles?
People can help sea turtles by keeping beaches clean, reducing plastic waste, respecting nesting areas, turning off bright beach lights when required, giving turtles space and following local wildlife rules. If you see a stranded, injured or trapped sea turtle, contact local wildlife authorities or a licensed rescue organization.
Can you touch a sea turtle?
No, don’t touch, feed, chase, crowd or disturb sea turtles, hatchlings or nests. Watch from a safe distance and follow posted beach or wildlife rules.
Sources:
Association of Zoos & Aquariums, Working Together to Secure a Future for Sea Turtles, June 16, 2026, accessed June 2026.
NOAA Fisheries, Sea Turtles, accessed August 2026, fisheries.noaa.gov/sea-turtles.
