Caretta caretta

These are salt water turtles that are frequently found along the Brazilian coast. Threatened worldwide with extinction, they are now recovering very well thanks to pioneer projects such as the Brazilian Tamar Project (Projeto Tartarugas Marinhas).
They have a shell with 5 pairs of lateral laminas, a lateral bridge between the shell and the plastron (lower shell) and 3 intermediary laminas in contact with the side laminas. The length of the shell in the adults is 80-120 cm or more, and they weigh between 80 and 370 Kg. The male is distinguished from the female by its smaller size and broader tale.

• Habitat: the species is found in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans as well as in the Mediterranean Sea. It prefers regions with clear, warm water that is not very deep, with little current and bays.
  
  
• Feeding: it is a carnivore and feeds preferentially on mollusks, crustaceans, jelly-fish and at times fish.
  
  
• Reproduction: the reproductive cycle is conducted every 2 - 3 years, in general at the end of June. The turtle comes to the beach only to lay its eggs. To do so it climbs a deserted beach, above the wave line in the evening and at night buries its eggs in holes from 40-75 cm deep and 20-30 cm wide. It can lay between 60 - 200 eggs in an hour. Upon birth, the little turtles are ready to confront the challenges ahead.