Imagine a male turtle meets a female turtle. They marry together and decide to have baby turtles. Once the female turtle conceived, she is ready to lay her eggs. Thus, she swims ashore to the beach.
According to sea turtle nesting beaches article, mother turtle walks on the moist sand. The moist sand prevents them from being surprised by humans. She digs the sand. A sea turtles reproduction article states female turtles lays between 50 to 200 Ping Pong ball-shaped eggs depend on their species type.
Their eggs are soft-shelled and papery to leathery in texture. They are surrounded by a thick clear mucus. Flexible is their unique attribute so it does not break when laid into the dug sands. Mother turtle spends more than two or more hours out of the water during the entire nesting process. Finally, she buries her eggs with her hind flippers.
Mother turtle lays eggs
There are three purposes of burying her eggs.
First is to protect the eggs from surface predators. Crabs and a flock of gulls as per mentioned in my journey from nest to sea research findings.
Secondly, Keep the soft, porous shells moist so protect it from drying out.
Thirdly, the reason is to keep the eggs maintain proper temperature.
Thus, sea turtle nesting beaches article warns humans at the beach. Not to step onto turtle hatchlings. There is the best way for humans who want to help our beloved mother sea turtles. Clear their path back to the ocean.
Let us cherish the new generation of sea turtles.
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