Sea turtles
Well, mankind has really screwed up this group.  Since the inception of the Endangered Species Act in 1973 all six of the marine turtles occurring in North America have been listed as threatened or endangered.  In Georgia we get four of these reptiles;  Loggerhead Sea Turtle, Leatherback Sea Turtle, Green Sea Turtle, Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle and and on rare occasions Hawksbill Sea Turtle.  The sixth species, Olive Ridley Sea Turtle is a tropical species.
	Caretta caretta is Georgia's only nesting sea turtle, and is, like all other marine turtles, a threatened species.  DNR and USFWS biologists carefully monitor and protect nesting sites on our remote barrier islands.  In spite of these efforts it is thought that populations continue to decline.  One of the immediate threats to nests is the presence of feral hogs on these islands. At sea shrimp nets pose a constant threat to breeding adults.  Sea turtles are known for the enormous distances they travel from their natal area.  The Loggerhead, which is the most abundant turtle in U. S. coastal waters, extends from Newfoundland to Argentina.  Look for a reddish-brown carapace, flippers and head. Sexual maturity is reached at 16 to 40 years.
Loggerhead Sea Turtle
	These huge turtles with oversized flippers are the largest of all marine turtles, the largest weighing in at close to 1500 lbs.  Dermochelys coriacea does not nest in Georgia and is more likely to be seen in the deeper portions of the Gulf Stream in summer on pelagic birding trips.  It's carapace is actually oily connective tissue forming longitudinal ridges along the back.  Atlantic populations appear stable, but nesting is seriously threatened on many beaches in the Pacific.  The image at left is that of NOAA's turtle tagging program.  The Leatherback feeds on jellies, abundant in our sub-tropical waters.
Leatherback Sea Turtle
	The Green Sea Turtle ranges through Georgia's South Atlantic Bight, but the Atlantic population is a tropical nesting species, mainly Florida and Mexico.  They are considerably smaller than other more common turtles above, growing to about 1 meter in length.  They can be found during Spring closer to shore than their normal Gulf Stream habitat, as the follow the jellies in on the prevailing currents.  While they are certainly vulnerable to shrimp nets,  the greatest cause of their decline is commercial harvesting for food and eggs.  Young turtles are sometime stuffed and sold as curios.
Green Sea Turtle
Kemp's Ridley Turtle
Hawksbill Sea Turtle