Green turtle

Photo: Shankar Meyer · CC BY-NC

One of the most wide-ranging marine reptiles, green turtles graze on seagrass and algae throughout tropical and subtropical seas. Unlike hawksbills, their diet means they are most often found near seagrass beds, sandy shallows, and reef flats, where they methodically crop vegetation. Divers typically encounter them resting on the seafloor or at cleaning stations where reef fish pick algae from their shells. Endangered; populations have recovered significantly at protected nesting beaches, though ocean plastic ingestion and boat strikes remain persistent threats.