The Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas): Graceful Herbivores of the Oceans – A Conservation Success with Regional Shadows

The Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas) is one of the most famous and largest species of sea turtle in the world. Imagine how gracefully it glides through tropical and subtropical seas with its elegant, streamlined shell. Did you know that its name doesn't come from the color of its shell, but from its body fat, which turns greenish due to its vegetarian diet?

The most important and joyful news: Thanks to decades of consistent conservation efforts, the global population of the Green Sea Turtle has recovered so much that its status on the IUCN Red List has been downgraded from "Endangered" to "Least Concern"! This is a rare and inspiring success in international species conservation that gives hope.

Key Facts and Peculiarities

Scientific Name	Chelonia mydas
English Name	Green Sea Turtle
Size	Shell length up to 1.5 meters (5 ft)
Weight	70 to over 190 kg (150 – 420 lbs)
IUCN Status (Global)	NEW: Least Concern
Diet	Adults: Pure herbivores (seagrass, algae)

From Carnivore to Pure Herbivore

A fascinating peculiarity of this species is the drastic change in its diet: As a hatchling, it is still an omnivore, hunting small marine animals. But as an adult turtle, it switches to an almost entirely vegetarian diet. It is the only sea turtle that feeds mainly on seagrass and algae. It grazes seagrass meadows like an "underwater lawnmower," making it essential for the health of these vital ecosystems.

Global Wanderers with Built-in GPS

Green Sea Turtles are true "long-distance swimmers," traveling thousands of kilometers. The females achieve an amazing feat: every few years, they return to the exact beach where they were born to lay their eggs.

This natural "homing GPS" likely works via a distinct magnetic sense used to orient themselves by the Earth's magnetic field. Per season, a female lays several clutches, each containing around 100 eggs.

The Shadow of Tourism: Dangers Here in Cyprus ⚠️

Despite the global success, we cannot forget the regional problems—especially here in Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean. Here, Green Sea Turtles are still confronted with serious, human-induced issues.

A major, often underestimated problem is feeding by tourist boats. This seemingly harmless behavior has devastating consequences:

1. Altered Behavior: The turtles associate boats with food. They lose their natural wariness and flight instinct.

   
   

2. Increased Collision Risk: Instead of foraging safely in deeper waters, the animals spend much of their time at the surface, waiting for food.

   
   

3. Fatal Accidents: The result is frequent and often fatal collisions with boats and propellers. The turtles suffer severe shell injuries that make them unable to swim.

   
   

For the Mediterranean nesting population—whose females lay eggs on the beaches of Cyprus, among others—these boat-related injuries remain one of the biggest local threats.

The Work is Not Done – How You Can Help

The success story of the Green Sea Turtle is impressive proof: Conservation works! Nevertheless, we must remain vigilant locally to secure the recovered populations.

What you can do to protect the turtles in Cyprus and globally:

• Never Feed: Keep your distance from turtles and never feed them under any circumstances. Report feeding by commercial boats to local authorities.

  
  

• Reduce Boat Speed: Drive extremely slowly and attentively in coastal areas and known turtle habitats.

  
  

• Avoid Waste: Reduce plastic waste and dispose of it properly to prevent it from entering the sea and being consumed by the animals.

  
  

Let's work together through responsible actions to ensure that these majestic creatures can continue to glide safely and undisturbed through our oceans, not just globally, but also in our local waters!