A sea turtle swimming underwater with a dark blue background.
A baby sea turtle crawling on white sandy beach toward the ocean.

Meet The Turtles

Sea turtles have been swimming in our oceans for over 100 million years — long before humans ever existed. They’re quiet travellers, crossing vast distances, nesting on sunlit shores, and helping to keep marine ecosystems in balance. But today, nearly all sea turtle species are at risk.

Plastic, poaching, climate change, and disappearing habitats are pushing these ancient creatures closer to extinction. Each one has its own story — its own fight for survival.

On this page, you’ll get to know them. The seven species of sea turtles still swimming in our oceans. The ones we’re working to protect.

A sea turtle swimming underwater over a coral reef.
Underwater scene showing a turtle swimming near rocks with sunlight shining down from the surface.
  • Close-up of a sea turtle swimming in the water.

    Hawksbill Turtle

    Status: Critically Endangered

    Facts:

    Known for their beautiful, patterned shells

    Help maintain healthy coral reefs by eating sponges

    Nest mainly on small and isolated “pocket” beaches, with little or no sand and a rocky approach (NOAA Fisheries) 

  • A sea turtle swimming in clear water with visible sunlight reflections on the sandy bottom.

    Leatherback Turtle

    Status: Vulnerable (Critically Endangered in some regions)

    Facts:

    Largest sea turtle species — can grow over 2 meters

    Only sea turtle without a hard shell and lacks scales

    Can dive deeper than 1,000 meters and can stay down for up to 85 minutes

  • A woman with short black hair smiling outdoors, wearing a blue top, surrounded by green plants.

    Green Turtle

    Status: Endangered

    Facts:

    Named for the green fat under their shell, not their shells!

    Herbivores — they feed mostly on seagrass and algae

    Can migrate thousands of miles between feeding and nesting grounds

  • Close-up of a sea turtle swimming in the water.

    Loggerhead Turtle

    Status: Vulnerable

    Facts:

    Named for their large, powerful heads which support their strong jaws

    Primarily eat hard-shelled prey like crabs and clams

    Often nest along subtropical and temperate coasts

    Image: WWF

  • A sea turtle swimming in clear water with visible sunlight reflections on the sandy bottom.

    Olive Ridley Turtle

    Status: Vulnerable

    Facts:

    Known for mass nesting events called arribadas (arrivals in Spanish)

    One of the smallest sea turtles

    Can be found in warm waters worldwide, they prefer tropical and subtropical waters

    Image: WWF

  • A woman with short black hair smiling outdoors, wearing a blue top, surrounded by green plants.

    Kemp’s Ridley Turtle

    Status: Critically Endangered

    Facts:

    Smallest and rarest sea turtle in the world

    Nest almost exclusively in the Gulf of Mexico, 95 % of worldwide Kemp’s Ridley nesting occurs in the state of Tamaulipas, Mexico

    Often seen nesting during the day — rare for turtles

    Image: NOAA Fisheries

  • A sea turtle swimming in clear water with visible sunlight reflections on the sandy bottom.

    Flatback Turtle

    Status: Data Deficient

    Facts:

    Flatback turtles live in the coastal waters of Australia and Papua New Guinea

    Has a flat, soft-edged shell, hence their name 

    Flatback Sea Turtles can typically be found in waters of 60m or less in depth

    Image: One Planet Conservation Awareness