Green Sea Turtleアオウミガメ

Chelonia mydasEN— Endangered

The green sea turtle is one of the largest sea turtles, found throughout tropical and subtropical waters of the Indian, Atlantic, and Pacific Oceans, with major Japanese nesting sites in the Ogasawara and Ryukyu Islands. Juveniles eat some animal matter, but adults become almost entirely herbivorous, grazing on seagrass and algae—an unusual trait among marine reptiles. Decades of overharvesting, bycatch, and nesting habitat loss have led the IUCN to classify it as Endangered.

Green Sea Turtle (reference photo)
Photo: Charles J. Sharp / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Source / cropped

Species Data

Classification
Testudines / Cheloniidae Source
Size
Carapace length varies by population; at 99–111.8 cm in the Atlantic population, it is among the largest of the sea turtles
Weight
Adults 68–190 kg; a large individual reached a record 395 kg
Lifespan
Takes 20–50 years to reach sexual maturity, after which it may live about 90 years in the wild
Diet
Herbivore Juveniles also eat animal matter, but adults feed mainly on seagrasses such as eelgrass and Halophila, making it one of the few herbivorous marine reptiles
Distribution
Widely distributed across tropical and subtropical waters of the Indian, Atlantic, and Pacific Oceans, with nesting recorded in more than 80 countries. Source
Sources
ja.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org

Did You Know?

  • Its name comes not from its shell color but from the greenish tint of its body fat, colored by pigments from the seagrass and algae it eats. Source
  • It can swim at speeds up to 40 mph (64 km/h) and uses Earth's magnetic field to navigate back to its natal nesting beach. Source

Where to See This Species

Operating facilities registered on this site: Japan 14

How to tell Sea Turtles apart →

Port of Nagoya Public AquariumAichi5 minutes on foot from Exit 3 of Nagoyako Station on the Subway Meiko Line (transfer to the Meiko Line at Sakae Station on the Higashiyama Line, or at Kanayama Station on the Meitetsu and JR lines).

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Kamogawa Sea WorldChibaAbout 2 hours from Tokyo Station on the Wakashio limited express to JR Awa-Kamogawa Station, then about 10 minutes by free shuttle bus (departing from the West Exit bus stop).

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Susami Chouritsu Ebitokanino SuizokukanWakayama

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NOTOJIMA AQUARIUMIshikawaThe nearest station is Wakura-Onsen Station.

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Murotohaikou SuizokukanKochiOpened in 2018

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Echizen Matsushima AquariumFukuiOpened in 1959

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Okinawa Churaumi AquariumOkinawaOpened in 2002

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Shimoda AquariumShizuokaOpened in 1967

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Kyoto AquariumKyotoAbout a 15-minute walk from the central exit of JR Kyoto Station.

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Kiryuugaoka DoubutsuenGunmaIf driving, set your car navigation to "Kiryugaoka Amusement Park" (Kiryugaoka Yuenchi) rather than "Kiryugaoka Zoo" to reach the parking lot (searching by the zoo name may give an incorrect route).

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Otaru AquariumHokkaidoOpened in 1958

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AQUARIUM ASAMUSHIAomoriOpened in 1983

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SENDAI UMINO-MORI AQUARIUMMiyagiOpened in 2015

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Toba AquariumMieOpened in 1955

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Latest news

5

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Conservation Story

Conservation Status

Endangered (EN)

Sources

ja.wikipedia.org www.iucnredlist.org

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FAQ

Why is it called the 'green' sea turtle?
The name refers to the greenish color of its body fat, tinted by pigments from the seagrass and algae that make up most of its adult diet, not the color of its shell. Source
Where do green sea turtles nest in Japan?
The Ogasawara Islands are the primary nesting site, with additional nesting recorded in the Ryukyu Islands of southwestern Japan. Source
How many operating facilities are registered here?
Operating facilities registered on this site: Japan 14 Source

Books & gear

Source: ja.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org