Discover the flatback turtles, a little-known sea turtle native to the coastal waters of Australia.
What do flatback turtles look like?
Paler than other sea turtles, the flatback turtle is a light olive-green that has a remarkably round shell (which is unusually thin and brittle) with distinctly upturned edges, and a rounded, stubby head. Unlike other sea turtles, females are larger and have longer tail than males.
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How big are Flatback turtles?
Flatback turtles are about 1m length and weigh 70-90kg
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Where do flatback turtles live?
Flatback turtles live in shallow waters on continental shelf, mainly northern coast of Australia as far as New Guinea and southern Indonesia.
How long do flatback turtles live?
Data is a little on the thin on the ground, but it is thought their lifespan is possibly up to 50 years.
What do flatback turtles eat?
Adults spend much time in turbid water feeding along muddy seafloor. Mainly carnivorous, flatback turtles enjoy eating shallow water invertebrates like sea cucumbers, molluscs, shrimp and other marine invertebrates.
What eats fallback turtles?
Flatback turtles are a favourite snackl of the ultimate predator - the saltwater crocodile
How do flatback turtles reproduce?
Female probably starts to breed at about 20 years old and nests up to four times per season, usually laying 50 eggs. Eggs hatch after about 55 days. Eggs and hatchlings larger than other turtles at 5.5cm and 6cm respectively, staying close to shore in early life unlike other sea turtle species.
Discover other fascinating turtle species and facts
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Main image: Flatback turtle by Lyndie Malan, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
