Watch these United Streaming Movie about Sea Turtles Hatching Their Eggs... National Geographic
Hatching
1. Sea turtles hatch throughout the year but mostly in summer.
2. Hatchlings use a caruncle (temporary egg tooth) to help break open the shell.
3. After hatching, the young turtles may take three to seven days to dig their way to the surface.
4. Hatchlings usually wait until night to emerge from the nest. Emerging at night reduces exposure to daytime predators. They leave the nest and head to the water in groups. Studies have shown that some nests will produce hatchlings on more than one night.
C. Reaching the ocean.
1. There are several theories as to how htachlings find the sea.
a. Hatchlings may instinctively head for the greater light intensity of the open horizon.
b. During the crawl to the sea, the hatchling may set an internal magnetic compass, which it uses for navigation away from the beach.
sea turtles
2. When a hatchling reaches the surf, it dives into a wave and rides the undertow out to sea.
a. A "swim frenzy" of continuous swimming takes place for about 24 to 48 hours after the hatchling enters the water.
b. This frantic activity gets the young turtle into deeper water, where it is less vulnerable to predators.
c. There have been reports of swimming hatchlings diving straight down when birds and even airplanes appear overhead. This diving behavior may be a behavioral adaptation for avoiding predation by birds.
National Geographic
Hatching
1. Sea turtles hatch throughout the year but mostly in summer.
2. Hatchlings use a caruncle (temporary egg tooth) to help break open the shell.
3. After hatching, the young turtles may take three to seven days to dig their way to the surface.
4. Hatchlings usually wait until night to emerge from the nest. Emerging at night reduces exposure to daytime predators. They leave the nest and head to the water in groups. Studies have shown that some nests will produce hatchlings on more than one night.
C. Reaching the ocean.
1. There are several theories as to how htachlings find the sea.
a. Hatchlings may instinctively head for the greater light intensity of the open horizon.
b. During the crawl to the sea, the hatchling may set an internal magnetic compass, which it uses for navigation away from the beach.
2. When a hatchling reaches the surf, it dives into a wave and rides the undertow out to sea.
a. A "swim frenzy" of continuous swimming takes place for about 24 to 48 hours after the hatchling enters the water.
b. This frantic activity gets the young turtle into deeper water, where it is less vulnerable to predators.
c. There have been reports of swimming hatchlings diving straight down when birds and even airplanes appear overhead. This diving behavior may be a behavioral adaptation for avoiding predation by birds.