Sea Turtles: A Complete Guide to Their Biology, Behavior, and Conservation

Sea Turtles: A Complete Guide to Their Biology, Behavior, and Conservation

<P>Winner, Professional and Scholarly Publishing Awards in Biological Sciences <br>Winner, National Outdoor Book Award, Nature and the Environment <br>Outstanding Academic Title, <I>Choice Magazine</I></P><P>For more than a hundred million years, sea turtles have been swimming in the world's oceans. These magnificent, long-lived creatures spend their lives in the water, coming ashore to lay their eggs. Upon hatching, the baby turtles leave the nest and enter a dangerous world of storms and predators. The females will return to the same beach to lay their own eggs when they reach maturity a decade later. Today, there are seven species of sea turtle: the grass€“eating green turtle; the sea sponge€“eating hawksbill; the olive ridley; the Kemp's ridley, which is the smallest species; the loggerhead; the flatback of Australia; and the giant leatherback. Having escaped the mass extinction that wiped out the dinosaurs, these ancient reptiles today face new dangers that threaten their survival: pollution, hunting, and the destruction of their nesting grounds. Will this century be the last to witness their majesty? Will succeeding generations live in a world devoid of their graceful presence? </P><P>Marine biologist James R. Spotila has spent much of his life unraveling the mysteries of these graceful creatures and working to ensure their survival. In <I>Sea Turtles</I>, he offers a comprehensive and compelling account of their history and life cycle based on the most recent scientific data€•and suggests what we can do now to save them. From the Kemp's ridley, which nests on a single beach on Mexico's Gulf Coast, to the nomadic leatherback, which can weigh up to a ton and is in the most imminent danger of extinction, Spotila offers a vivid description of their diets and mating habits, and the conservation efforts being made on their behalf. Illustrated with stunning color photographs by the world's leading nature photographers, <I>Sea Turtles</I> will inform and inspire readers of all ages everywhere.</P>