Turtles

SEA LIFE Busan, B3 Floor

3 out of 7 sea turtle species can be found at the Sea Life Busan Aquarium. Meet these amazing and elegant creatures today!

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Habitat

Temperate and subtropical seas

Size

Depending on the species, up to 200 cm

Diet

Crustaceans, invertebrates

Range

All seas except the Arctic and Antarctic

Scientific Name: Eretmochelys imbricata
Common Name: Hawksbill sea turtle

Hawksbills are named for their narrow, pointed beak. They also have overlapping scales on their shells that form a serrated-look on the edges. They feed mainly on sponges by using their beaks to extract them from crevices on the reef, but also eat jellyfish.

Scientific Name: Caretta caretta
Common Name: Loggerhead sea turtle

Loggerhead sea turtles are named for their large heads that support powerful jaw muscles, allowing them to crush hard-shelled prey like clams and sea urchins. They are the most common turtle in the Mediterranean, nesting on beaches from Greece and Turkey to Israel. current Loggerhead sea turtle name is 'Shanks' which rescued and protected before got caught in a waste net and a fishing line.

Scientific Name: Chelonia mydas
Common Name: Green Sea Turtle

Green Sea Turtle is one of the largest sea turtles and can weigh 181 kilograms (400lbs). The common name comes from green fat found in its cartilage and fat. It is listed as endagered by the IUCN and CITES which is protected from exploitation in most countries.

Of the seven species of sea turtles that swim the planet's waters, six are found in all oceans except the Arctic and Antarctic. The seventh flatback lives only in the waters around Australia.
Sea turtles make incredibly long migrations between prey and breeding grounds. Sea turtles mate in the sea and then come ashore to lay their eggs. Females dig a hole in the sand, then store their egg pods, cover it again, and return to the sea.
After about 60 days, the eggs hatch and the small hatchlings migrate from the nest to the water's edge at night, embarking on the most dangerous part of their lives, just as seabirds, crabs, and other predators prey on young turtles.

SEA LIFE Busan is active in the region to protect precious sea creatures. We are actively involved in turtle breeding programs, habitat recreation, rescue and rehabilitation / treatment. In addition we also advocate for marine protection and improving awareness of all kinds of important maritime issues, organising beach clean ups with volunteers regularly as well.

Check out our farewell to Little Red and Little Green, the sea turtles we rescued from Uljin, Gyeongsangbuk-do. After treatment at our facilities they have since recovered from their injuries and are finally back in their ocean homes again! 🌊🌊🌊

Watch Video

Six of the seven sea turtle species are classified as threatened, endangered, or critically endangered, due largely to human impact in the form of hunting, bycatch in fishing nets, pollution, and climate change.

The hatchlings’ sex is determined by temperature in their nest, with warmer temperatures favouring female hatchlings. Climate change affects the turtles by warming the temperature of the beach that sea turtle eggs are laid in, which in turn affects the outcome of their sex and overall male / female population balance.