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Turtle mystery solved Sep 27 2007

The hatchlings of the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) enter the ocean soon after they are born – and vanish for up to five years. For 50 years, researchers have been unable to explain what happens to them during this period, before they return closer to shore fully grown.

Now, LiveScience and Newswise report, scientists from the University of Florida have found that these turtles live in the open ocean, where, contrary to what was previously thought, they are carnivorous, feasting on jellyfish and other marine creatures.

The scientists collected samples from the shells of 44 green sea turtles at a site near Great Inagua in the Bahamas (28 of which had been previously tagged and could therefore be identified as residents of the area, and 16 new arrivals).

They then analysed heavy and light stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen from both the oldest (earliest-grown) and newest sections of the shells. The isotopes indicate what the animal has been eating and where in the ocean it has lived.

The results of the analysis indicated that the green sea turtles spent their early years in the deep ocean feeding as carnivores.

Details of the study were first published in the journal Biology Letters.

IMAGE: Green sea turtle, courtesy National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.