SEA TURTLES NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION WHO WE ARE WHAT WE DO WORK HOW TO HELP BLOGS WILDLIFE PHOTOS REPTILES SNAPPING MOUNTAIN FENCE PINE WATER TROUT RIDLEY CRICKET BLIND ACRE DONATE SHOP RENEW LEAVE LEGACY CORPORATE GIVING CREATURES EARTH MILLION YEARS FACE UNCERTAIN FUTURE THREATS SEVEN SPECIES OLIVE RIDLEY KEMPS FLATBACK BELOW GREEN DESCRIPTION SUITED TO LIFE HYDRODYNAMIC POWERFUL FRONT FLIPPERS DIVE DEPTHS SWIM FRANTIC CRAWL THE NEST MALE NEVER RETURN SHORE FEMALES COME BACK ENOUGH IN PLACE FORELIMBS SHORTER HIND LIMBS CANNOT RETRACT HEADS BONES HORNY SCALES TURTLES TOOTHLESS JAWS TEAR THE SEA WEIGHING AT 85 POUNDS LEATHERBACKS BEHEMOTHS GROW SUBMERGED HOURS SURFACE TIMES HOUR HABITAT ENVIRONMENT ADULT EMERGING HATCHLINGS ENTER MUST QUICKLY ESCAPE STRONG EVIDENCE SEA TURTLE SPECIES OPEN OCEAN DEVELOPMENTAL STAGE ENCOUNTERS NEONATE RARE ASSOCIATE FLOATING SARGASSUM AREA OF REFUGE DRIFTING PERIOD HYPOTHESIZED LAST TURTLE CARAPACE LENGTH INCHES SUBSEQUENTLY NERITIC ZONES THE GULF OF MEXICO NORTHWESTERN ATLANTIC OCEAN FEED DEVELOP REACH REPRODUCTION MATING TO 3 IN SUMMER ANCIENT REPRODUCTIVE RITUAL BEGINS FEMALE LEAVES DIG NEST USES REAR HOLE EGGS LOOK COVERS RETURNS NESTING SEASON TRUE FOR SOME TEMPERATURE DETERMINES SEX TEMPERATURES PRODUCE COOLER MANAGERS ORIGINAL LOCATION POSSIBLE RATIOS DETERMINED TWO MONTHS THE EGGS BEGIN RANGE EMERGE MASS EXODUS AT NIGHT OPEN VIEW OF THE NIGHT FIND TO THE SEA ARTIFICIAL LIGHTS ON BEACHFRONT BUILDINGS ROADWAYS DISTRACT COMMUNITIES FLORIDA LIGHTING ORDINANCES LIGHTS SHUT OFF THE NESTING HATCHING TRACK TURTLE CONSERVANCY NOAA STATUS ENCROACHMENT COASTAL DEVELOPMENT BEACHES POLLUTANTS MARINE DEBRIS BP OIL SPILL IN THE GULF MEXICO ACCIDENTAL DROWNING FISHING GEAR INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN MEAT NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE JOINT JURISDICTION MARINE TURTLES NMFS THE LEAD THE MARINE USFWS SOURCES NOAA FISHERIES OFFICE OF PROTECTED RESOURCES FISH WILDLIFE RESEARCH INSTITUTE UNIVERSITY OF ANIMAL DIVERSITY WEB SEA TURTLE CONSERVANCY RELATED SEA CHANGE THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES THE ANCIENT FORMIDABLE BLUE MINDSET OCEAN CONSERVATION MARINE BIOLOGIST CHAMPIONS UNCONVENTIONAL APPROACH SAVING WORLDS WATERS INHABITANTS MYSTERIOUS AUSTRALIAN FLATBACK SEA TURTLE CAPTURES PICTURES ELUSIVE SEARCHING REMOTE PACIFIC BAJA BLUES ENDANGERED OIL SPILL LEARN THE STATE THE GULF THE DEEPWATER HORIZON DISASTER RANGER RICK FACTS YOUR KIDS LOVE ANIMALS OUTDOOR ORDER MAGAZINES ACTION FEATURE CONTACT CAREERS FUN THINGS LIBRARY HELPING ANIMAL SCHOOL RICK CONNECT PHOTO MERRIFIELD VA POLICY SITE SHARING WEB PAGE FIRST NAME LAST NAME EMAIL ADDRESS EMAIL ADDRESSES PERSONAL MESSAGE CANCEL