Exploring Long Island's Sea Turtle Residents

Sea turtles are large turtles that inhabit warm waters across the planet, including oceans, bays, and estuaries. They are similar to their land-based cousins, tortoises, and to freshwater turtles, but their legs have evolved into flippers to help them swim. Sea turtles are typically found in the sea throughout their lives, except for adult females who come ashore to nest in the summer months. The waters off Long Island are host to four species of sea turtles: the Loggerhead, Kemp's Ridley, Green, and Leatherback.

Species of sea turtles in Long Island Sound

The Long Island Sound is home to four species of sea turtles: the loggerhead, Kemp's ridley, green, and leatherback.

Loggerhead (Caretta caretta)

The loggerhead is the most common sea turtle species found in the waters of Long Island. They are reddish-brown on their back and orange-yellow underneath, with a large, block-like head. They grow to about 3 feet long and weigh up to 300 pounds. Loggerheads use their powerful jaws to feed on crabs, shellfish, jellyfish, fish, and eelgrass.

Kemp's Ridley (Lepidochelys kempii)

The Kemp's ridley is the second most commonly sighted sea turtle in New York. They are the smallest of the sea turtles, growing up to 2 feet long and weighing up to 100 pounds. They are identifiable by their heart-shaped carapace and dark olive-green color. Kemp's ridleys have powerful jaws that help them crush crabs, clams, mussels, and shrimp, and they also feed on fish, sea urchins, and jellyfish.

Green (Chelonia mydas)

The green sea turtle is a wide-ranging species that can be found in U.S. Atlantic waters from Massachusetts to Texas. They are named for the greenish color of their fat, called calipee, and their carapace is blotched with green, brown, and yellow flecks. Green sea turtles grow to about 3 feet long and weigh up to 350 pounds, with a lifespan of 60-70 years. Their diet consists of algae and seagrass, and they are often found in sea grass beds off the eastern side of Long Island.

Leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea)

The leatherback sea turtle is unique among sea turtles, with a large, barrel-shaped body covered in leathery skin instead of a hard shell. They are one of the largest reptiles on Earth, growing up to 6 feet long and weighing up to 2,000 pounds. Leatherbacks are able to regulate their body temperature, allowing them to travel farther north than other sea turtles. They feed primarily on jellyfish and are often sighted on the south shore of Long Island and within the Long Island Sound.

Migration patterns of sea turtles

Sea turtles migrate long distances—up to 10,000 miles or more per year—and are considered ectothermic non-avian reptiles. Temperature has a significant impact on their metabolic and physiological processes.

Migration Patterns

Sea turtles migrate to breeding beaches, and hatchlings migrate offshore. The exact way sea turtles navigate is unknown, but several hypotheses have been put forward. Some evidence suggests that sea turtles can detect the Earth's magnetic field, which is similar to how sailors determine latitude and longitude. Other evidence indicates that sea turtles imprint on the unique magnetic field of their natal beach and use this information to return as adults to mate and nest. This process is called natal imprinting or natal philopatry.

The different species of sea turtles have distinct migration patterns. Green sea turtles shuttle between nesting sites and coastal foraging areas. Loggerhead sea turtles use a series of foraging sites. Leatherback sea turtles and olive ridley sea turtles do not show fidelity to any specific coastal foraging site and instead forage in the open sea. However, they are still able to return to specific breeding sites.

Once the turtles reach a larger size, they may begin daily migrations. During the day, they head to shallower waters to feed, and at night, they move to deeper waters to find shelter and rest.

Some sea turtles are seasonal travellers, spending their summers in northern waters and migrating south for the winter to warmer waters.

The waters off Long Island host four species of sea turtles: loggerhead, Kemp's ridley, green, and leatherback. These turtles usually arrive in late June as water temperatures rise and stay until November before migrating south for the winter.

Kemp's ridley sea turtles are primarily found in southern waters, but juveniles travel north each summer, riding the warm currents of the Gulf Stream to Long Island.

Green sea turtles are found in Long Island's warm, shallow bays and Long Island Sound, where they feed on crabs, crustaceans, and submerged aquatic vegetation such as eelgrass.

Loggerhead sea turtles are the most abundant of all marine turtles and the most common sea turtle seen off Long Island. They feed on hard-shelled prey like crabs and shellfish, as well as jellyfish, fish, and eelgrass.

Leatherback sea turtles are commonly seen in Long Island's offshore waters during the late summer. They often rest at the surface, making them vulnerable to ship propellers.

All four species of sea turtles found in Long Island Sound are endangered or threatened and protected under the Endangered Species Act.

Diet of sea turtles

The diet of a sea turtle depends on its species, with some being carnivorous, some herbivorous, and some omnivorous. The four species of sea turtles found in Long Island Sound are the green sea turtle, the loggerhead sea turtle, Kemp's ridley sea turtle, and the leatherback sea turtle.

Green Sea Turtle

The green sea turtle is an herbivore, with a diet consisting of algae, seagrass, and seaweed. They have finely serrated jaws, which help them scrape algae off rocks and tear grasses and seaweeds. As hatchlings, they are omnivores, eating both plant and animal material.

Loggerhead Sea Turtle

Loggerhead sea turtles are carnivores, eating crabs, conchs, whelks, horseshoe crabs, jellyfish, fish, and eelgrass. They have strong, massive jaws, which enable them to crush hard-shelled prey. As hatchlings, they are omnivores, eating both plant and animal material.

Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle

Kemp's ridley sea turtles are carnivores, with a preferred prey of crabs. They also eat fish, jellies, shrimp, and a variety of molluscs. They have powerful jaws that help them crush crabs, clams, mussels, and shrimp.

Leatherback Sea Turtle

Leatherback sea turtles are gelatinivores, with a diet consisting of jellyfish and other soft-bodied invertebrates like tunicates and sea squirts. They have sharp, pointed cusps on their jaws, which enable them to pierce jellyfish and other soft-bodied organisms.

Other Species

Other species of sea turtles include the hawksbill sea turtle, the olive ridley sea turtle, and the flatback sea turtle. The hawksbill is a spongivore, feeding almost exclusively on sponges. The olive ridley and flatback sea turtles are both omnivores, consuming a variety of animals and plants.

Threats to sea turtles

Sea turtles face a multitude of threats, both natural and human-caused, that are driving them towards extinction. While natural obstacles such as predators and harsh environmental conditions pose challenges to their survival, it is human activities that pose the most significant threat to sea turtle populations.

One of the primary threats to sea turtles is commercial fishing. Each year, hundreds of thousands of adult and immature sea turtles are accidentally captured and killed in fisheries worldwide. They become entangled in fishing gear such as long-lines, shrimp nets, and gill nets, and often drown before they can be freed. The issue of ghost gear—lost or discarded fishing equipment—also poses a significant threat, as sea turtles can become entangled and trapped, leading to drowning or impaired movement and feeding abilities.

The consumption and illegal trade of sea turtle meat and eggs is another critical concern. In many coastal communities, particularly in Central America and Asia, sea turtles have been a traditional source of food. Turtle eggs are considered an aphrodisiac in some places, and their meat is still consumed, despite being illegal in most countries. The illegal trade of sea turtle products, including their shells, oil, cartilage, and skin, continues to drive the decline of sea turtle populations.

Coastal development and human activities on beaches also negatively impact sea turtles. Sea turtles require dark and quiet beaches for successful reproduction. Artificial lighting from roads and buildings discourages female sea turtles from nesting and can cause disorientation in hatchlings, leading them to wander inland where they face dehydration, predation, or being run over by vehicles. Coastal armoring structures, such as seawalls and sandbags, interrupt the natural nesting process and reduce available nesting habitats.

Climate change is another significant threat to sea turtles. Rising temperatures increase sand temperatures, which can impact the gender ratio of hatchlings, resulting in a higher proportion of females. Sea level rise, caused by melting polar ice caps, leads to the disappearance of nesting beaches and critical nesting habitats. Additionally, stronger storms and higher sea levels can erode coastal habitats and damage nests.

Marine debris, particularly plastic pollution, is a further threat to sea turtles. Turtles can mistake plastic bags and other floating plastic debris for jellyfish, their natural prey, and choke on them. Ingestion of plastics can lead to blockages, starvation, and digestive injuries. Microplastics can also affect nests and hatchlings, causing unknown but potentially significant harm.

Other human activities, such as poaching, over-exploitation, habitat destruction, and oil spills, further contribute to the decline of sea turtle populations. With six out of seven sea turtle species classified as threatened or endangered, it is crucial to address these threats and implement conservation measures to ensure the survival of these ancient mariners.

How to help stranded sea turtles

Yes, there are sea turtles in Long Island Sound. The waters off Long Island host four species of sea turtles: the loggerhead, Kemp's Ridley, green, and leatherback sea turtles.

Do's

• Call the New York State 24-Hour Stranding Hotline at (631) 369-9829. Provide as much information as possible about the turtle's location.
• Note the turtle's location and, if possible, mark it with something that will be easy for the rescue team to find, such as a stick or driftwood.
• If you see a sick or injured sea turtle, contact your local sea turtle stranding network.
• If you encounter a sea turtle, do not touch it. Remain quiet and watch from a distance.
• If you live near a sea turtle nesting beach, close your drapes and turn off unnecessary lights at night.
• If you are walking on a sea turtle nesting beach at night, minimise the use of a flashlight.
• Fill in holes and knock down sandcastles on the beach to make a smooth pathway for sea turtles between the surf and sand.
• Use reusable shopping bags and water bottles instead of single-use plastic ones.
• Reduce your carbon footprint by turning off lights when you leave a room, unplugging appliances, and evaluating your commute to see if you can use more environmentally-friendly transportation.
• Choose seafood that has been caught in ways that do not harm or kill turtles. Consult sustainable seafood information networks to learn more about how and where your seafood is caught.

Don'ts

• Do not put the turtle back in the water.
• Do not touch the animal or remove it from the beach. These are federally protected animals and should only be handled by authorised personnel.
• Do not leave food or trash on the beach, as this can attract predators that may destroy sea turtle nests.
• Do not let your pets roam free on the beach, as they may harm sea turtle eggs and hatchlings.
• Do not disturb nesting turtles, nests, or hatchlings.
• Do not release helium balloons, as they can end up in the ocean and be mistaken for prey by sea turtles.

Frequently asked questions