An amazing fact that Indonesia is a home to six out of seven of the world’s turtle species. No doubt Indonesia is a country that has the greatest biodiversity in the world. Not only has the flora and fauna on land, but also has a variety of biota in the ocean. One of the marine biota in Indonesian waters is turtles.
Turtles are sea turtles that spend their time at sea. These animals will travel to the beach when it is time to spawn. Turtle is one of the ancient animals that still survive until now. Turtles are known as animal species that have a long lifespan, reaching over 100 years.
There are seven types of turtles that still survive in the world. From the seven turtles lists, six of them are in Indonesian waters, only Kemp’s ridley turtle that was never found in Indonesian waters. Here is a list of six turtles that are in Indonesian waters.
- Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
Includes the most common species of turtles found and live in tropical seas. The name of the green turtle is obtained from the color of the fat that lies beneath its green shell. While the color of his body is dark brown or dark gray.
The characteristic of this green turtle has a small head shape and a short muzzle shape. While still a hatchling (turtle child), this turtle is included in the omnivores that eat all kinds of food. As an adult, he will turn into an herbivore, eating only plants. This change happens gradually.
Chelonia mydas
- Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
Is a type of turtle that can be found in some waters of Indonesia, as in the waters of eastern Indonesia. Name of hawksbill obtained from the overlapping of scales owned such as fish scales so known as hawksbill turtle.
The turtle has a curved beak shape with a protruding upper part like the eagle’s beak. This hawksbill eats a sea sponge, algae, Cnidaria, Ctenophora, and also jellyfish.
Hawksbill Turtles Eretmochelys imbricata
- Lekang Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea)
The turtle is a bit like a green turtle, only the shape of its head is larger and the shell is slimmer. Traditional turtles eat invertebrates, jellyfish, bivalves (shellfish), sea urchins, shrimp, crabs, and sipunculid worms.
These turtles can be found spawn on the southern coast of the Indonesian archipelago, such as the southern coast of Bali.
Lepidochelys olivacea
- Leatherbacks (Dermochelys coriacea)
The leatherback turtle is the largest species of sea turtle in the world. With body weight reaches 500 kg and length can reach 180 cm. Leatherback turtles live in the waters of eastern Indonesia and the Solomon Islands.
The turtle is dark and has white spots all over its body. Shell shape has stripes like star fruit, therefore this turtle is known as the leatherback turtle.
Dermochelys coriacea
- Pusher (Natator depressus)
The name of the turtle is derived from the shape of shell or shell that is flatter compared with other types of turtles. This type of turtle is also known as Flatback Turtle because it has a flat scales and slightly curved on the outside.
These turtles consume a variety of organisms, such as seagrass, marine invertebrates, mollusks, shrimp, jellyfish, fish, and other soft-boned marine creatures.
Natator depressus
- Turtle (Caretta caretta)
The loggerhead turtle is the second largest type of turtle, after the leatherback turtle. The average size of the turtle’s body length can reach more than 90 cm with body weight can reach 200 kg.
The loggerhead has a reddish-brown shell, large head shape, and strong jaws when compared to other types of turtles. This turtle usually eats bivalves (shellfish), shrimp, crab, sponges, coral, sea cucumber to starfish.
Caretta caretta
Knowing the types of turtles that are in the waters of Indonesia will add to the understanding that Indonesia marine life is extraordinary. However, the wealth will become extinct if it has no consciousness to preserve it. Therefore, all parties need to jointly maintain the population of these turtles. We need to keep the existence as Indonesia is a home to six out of seven of the world’s turtle species.
