綠蠵龜-Green sea turtle

 

 

綠蠵龜（學名：Chelonia mydas、 green sea turtle），又名綠海龜，是海洋中的爬蟲類動物，是海龜屬下的唯一一種。一生中大多的時間都在海中生活，但演化過程中仍然保留了部分祖先的生活方式，所以必須回到陸地上產卵，繁育後代，形成了一種較獨特的生活習性。

綠蠵龜廣泛分布在熱帶及亞熱帶海域中，即約南北緯度20℃等溫線之間的海域^[2]，並在水溫逾攝氏25度的沙灘上產卵。由於牠用肺呼吸，於海中的潛水深度極限約一、兩百公尺。綠蠵龜的主食為海中的海草與大型海藻，因此體內脂肪累積了許多綠色色素，呈現淡綠色，也因而得名。

綠蠵龜已瀕臨絕種，全世界僅剩下約20萬頭產卵母龜^[3]，在世界自然保護聯盟瀕危物種紅色名錄中列為瀕危物種。為避免因人類的捕殺及棲地之破壞，所有海龜被均列為瀕危野生動植物種國際貿易公約（或簡稱華盛頓公約）附錄一中的物種。

2007年11月15日世界自然基金會香港分會公佈「我最喜愛海洋10寶」公眾網上投票結果，此網上投票為期4個月選出最受歡迎十種本地海洋生物。綠海龜得1695票榮獲「我最喜愛海洋10寶」第二位。

 

 

The green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), also known as the green turtle, black (sea) turtle, or Pacific green turtle,^[3] is a large sea turtle of the family Cheloniidae. It is the only species in the genus Chelonia.^[4] Its range extends throughout tropical and subtropical seas around the world, with two distinct populations in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.^[5] The common name comes from the usually green fat found beneath its carapace.

This sea turtle's dorsoventrally flattened body is covered by a large, teardrop-shaped carapace; it has a pair of large, paddle-like flippers. It is usually lightly colored, although in the eastern Pacific populations parts of the carapace can be almost black. Unlike other members of its family, such as the hawksbill sea turtle, C. mydas is mostly a herbivorous. The adults usually inhabit shallow lagoons, feeding mostly on various species of seagrasses.^[6]

Like other sea turtles, green sea turtles migrate long distances between feeding grounds and hatching beaches. Many islands worldwide are known as Turtle Island due to green sea turtles nesting on their beaches. Females crawl out on beaches, dig nests and lay eggs during the night. Later, hatchlings emerge and scramble into the water. Those that reach maturity may live to eighty years in the wild.^[5]

C. mydas is listed as endangered by the IUCN and CITES and is protected from exploitation in most countries.^[7] It is illegal to collect, harm or kill them. In addition, many countries have laws and ordinances to protect nesting areas. However, turtles are still in danger because of several human practices. In some countries, turtles and their eggs are hunted for food. Pollution indirectly harms turtles at both population and individual scales. Many turtles die caught in fishing nets. Also, real estate development often causes habitat loss by eliminating nesting beaches.