Photographs of sea turtles. Amazing, unusual and very beautiful turtles (40 photos). Turtle - description, characteristics and photos
How to draw a sea turtle.
Let's draw the top view first.
These are amazingly adapted to life in water, harmoniously built creatures. Oval carapace slightly egg-shaped: streamlined!
The front paws are transformed into almost flat flippers, the hind legs are also adapted for rowing.
On the shell, the pattern is somewhat reminiscent of a honeycomb, but not quite the same as that of land turtles.
By the way, here we have drawn a “turtle swimming”, everything is fair: the axis of symmetry, the front paws are on the same line (shoulders, so to speak), but why do you think the hind legs are somehow different? Who thinks?
Now we will gradually draw a sea turtle in profile.
The very first thing that comes to my mind when I see her: FLYING! The flapping of the flippers clearly repeats the movement of the wings during flight. Or while vaping.
Now, looking at the picture, I thought, hanging in the void, the waves would be something to paint on ... And what kind of waves? AT sea depths ah, the movement of water is hardly noticeable. Just as we do not see the wind if it does not bend the trees, so the water whirlwinds will not be visible in a homogeneous medium. Well, in the photo editor I will tint the picture blue, but I will refrain from drawing wavy waves.
So, well, what else do we need to fully master the image? But - let's draw a turtle from the side of the belly.
Pay attention to how the front legs are directed - they are bent in the same way in elephant turtles crawling "on their knees", but what different these turtles are - heaven and earth ... no, not so - earth and water!
And by the way, take a closer look at the structure of the head, here we see it from below and a little from the side, a rather tricky angle.
The second name of the green sea turtle - one of the largest among sea turtles - was the eloquent "soup". Many also say that they play a big role in the successful discovery and development of the New World, the Caribbean Sea: from the 15th century, travelers setting off for great discoveries began the mass extermination of reptiles.
Turtles were slaughtered by the hundreds to replenish food supplies by curing and drying the meat, often just loaded on board to have fresh “canned food” for soup in stock. Turtle soup is still a delicacy today. And green sea turtles as a species are on the verge of extinction.
Description of the green turtle
The largest sea turtles are very beautiful in natural environment when they graze in coastal waters in dense algae or cut through the water surface with powerful forepaws equipped with flippers. Huge shell of green or brown scutes yellow colors perfectly masks and protects them from predators.
Appearance
The rounded shell of the green turtle has an oval shape. In adults, it can reach a record length of 2 meters, but the usual average size is 70 - 100 cm. The structure of the shell is unusual: it all consists of shields adjacent to each other, has a more intense color on top, is covered with shields and a small reptile head. Eyes with round pupils, rather large and almond-shaped.
It is interesting! Fins allow turtles to both swim and move on land, each of the limbs has a claw.
The weight of an average individual is 80-100 kg, specimens weighing 200 kg are not uncommon. But the record weight of the green sea turtle is 400 and even 500 kilograms. The color of the shell depends on the place where the turtle was born and grows. It can be either swamp, dirty green, or brown, with uneven yellow spots. But the skin and the fat accumulating under the shell on the inside have a green tint, due to which turtle dishes also have a special flavor.
Behavior, lifestyle
Sea turtles rarely live in colonies, they prefer a solitary lifestyle. But for several centuries, researchers have been baffled by the phenomenon of sea turtles, which are perfectly oriented in the directions of the currents of the sea depths, are able to gather on one of the beaches on a certain day in order to lay their eggs.
A few decades later, they are able to find the beach where they once hatched, it is there that they will lay their eggs, even if they have to travel thousands of kilometers.
Sea turtles are non-aggressive, gullible, try to stay near the shore, where the depth does not even reach 10 meters. Here they bask on the surface of the water, can get out on land to take sunbaths, eat algae. Turtles breathe with lungs, inhaling it every 5 minutes from the surface.
But at rest or sleep, green turtles may not surface for several hours. Powerful forelimbs - flippers, more like paddles, help them move at speeds up to 10 kilometers per hour, so green turtle swimmers are not bad.
Babies barely hatched from eggs rush along the sand to the water. Not everyone manages to even get to the surf line, as both birds and birds hunt for crumbs with soft shells. small predators, and other reptiles and reptiles. Babies on the shore represent easy prey, but they are not safe in the water either.
Therefore, the first years of life, until the shell hardens, the turtles spend in the depths of the sea, carefully disguising themselves. At this time, they feed not only on plant foods, but also on jellyfish, plankton, molluscs, and crustaceans.
It is interesting! The older the turtle, the closer to the shore they prefer to live. Gradually, the diet is also changing, becoming "vegetarian".
More than 10 "colonies" of green turtles are known in the world, each of which has its own characteristics. Some are constantly wandering, following warm currents, some are able to winter in their native places, "basking" in coastal silt.
Some scientists propose to separate into separate subspecies the population of green turtles that live in certain latitudes. This is what happened to the Australian tortoises.
Lifespan
The most dangerous for turtles are the first years, in which babies are almost defenseless. Many of the turtles do not manage to live even a few hours to get to the water. However, having acquired a hard shell, green turtles become less vulnerable. The average lifespan of green sea turtles in the natural environment is 70-80 years. In captivity, these are much smaller, as people fail to recreate their natural habitat.
Turtle subspecies
The Atlantic green turtle has a wide and flat shell, prefers to live in the coastal zone North America, are also found near the European coastline.
The Pacific Eastern lives, as a rule, on the coasts of California, Chile, you can even meet them off the coast of Alaska. This subspecies can be distinguished by a narrow and high dark-colored shell (brown and yellow).
Range, habitats
Quiet and Atlantic Oceans, the waters of the tropics and subtropics are home to green sea turtles. You can watch them in Holland, and in some parts of the UK, and in South African territories. Like centuries ago, reptiles do not leave the coastal zone of the North and South America, although now these amazing marine inhabitants are much less here. There are green turtles off the coast of Australia.
It is interesting! Depth up to 10 meters, well-heated water, a lot of algae and a rocky bottom - that's all that attracts turtles, makes this or that part of the ocean attractive.
In rocky crevices they hide from their pursuers, rest, caves become their home for a year or several years. Wherever they live and eat, moving from place to place, guided by instincts, something makes them return to their native beaches again and again, where they are simply barbaric hunted. Turtles are excellent swimmers, not afraid of long distances, great travel lovers.
Green turtle food
Having barely seen the light, the turtles, obeying ancient instincts, strive as far as possible into the depths. It is there, among corals, marine reefs, a lot of algae, that they are threatened by a minimum number of land and water inhabitants seeking to eat them. Increased growth makes them absorb not only vegetation, but also mollusks, jellyfish, crustaceans. Willingly eat young green turtles and worms.
After 7-10 years, the soft shell hardens, get to tasty meat is becoming increasingly difficult for both birds and many predatory fish. Therefore, turtles without fear rush closer and closer to the shore, to the water warmed by the sun and a variety of vegetation, not only aquatic, but also coastal. By the time green turtles become sexually mature, they completely switch to plant foods, and remain vegetarian until old age.
Thalassia and Zoster turtles are especially fond of, dense thickets of which at a depth of 10 meters are often called pastures. Reptiles do not refuse kelp either. They can be found close to the shore at high tide, happily absorbing the lush terrestrial vegetation.
Reproduction and offspring
Green turtles become sexually mature after 10 years. Distinguish gender marine life possible much earlier. Males of both subspecies are narrower and lower than females, the shell is flatter. The main difference is the tail, which is longer in boys, it reaches 20 cm.
Mating males and females takes place in the water. From January to October, females and males attract attention by making various sounds similar to singing. Several males fight for a female, and several individuals can also fertilize her. Sometimes this is enough not for one, but for several clutches. Mating lasts several hours.
The female goes on a long journey, overcoming thousands of kilometers to get to safe beaches - nesting sites, only once every 3-4 years. There, having come ashore at night, the turtle digs a hole in the sand in a secluded place.
It is interesting! In this nest in a well-heated place, she lays up to 100 eggs, and then falls asleep with sand and levels the soil so that the offspring do not become easy prey for lizards, monitor lizards, rodents and birds.
In just one season, an adult turtle is able to make 7 clutches, each of which will contain from 50 to 100 eggs. Most of the nests will be destroyed, not all babies are destined to see the light.
After 2 months and a few days (incubation of turtle eggs - from 60 to 75 days), the little turtles will destroy the shell of the leathery egg with their claws and get out to the surface. They will need to overcome a distance of up to 1 km separating them from the rescue sea water. It is in the nesting places that birds settle, which hunt for newly hatched babies, so there are many dangers on the way of the turtles.
Having reached the water, the kids not only swim on their own, but also use islands of aquatic plants, clinging to them or climbing to the very top, under the rays of the sun. At the slightest danger, turtles dive and dexterously and quickly go to the depths. Babies are independent from the moment of birth and do not need parental care.
Dreams are different. Some dream of skydiving, others want to get a pleasant experience from trips to distant countries, others seek to learn languages. Learning to draw is also someone's dream, and quite feasible.
Visual talent is a gift from God, for some it is given initially, while for others it is difficult to convey a complex picture on paper. However, you can learn how to draw a turtle or fish, trees and flowers by following the tips.
Choose a character
Decide what kind of turtle you will draw. Will it be an aquarium inhabitant or a heroine of wildlife programs? A popular option is such cartoon characters as the cartoon character "The Lion and the Turtle", the wise inhabitant of the pond from the children's fairy tale "The Adventures of Pinocchio" Tortilla or the ninja turtles? The answer to these questions is a hint on how to draw a turtle. If the image of the listed heroes seems too complicated for you, opt for an ordinary marine inhabitant.
How to draw a turtle with a pencil step by step
One of the options for the image of our heroine (side view) is to start with a sketch of the head. Draw an elongated oval irregular shape, inside we mark a circle or a point - an eye. Do not be afraid to make the wrong move and ruin the drawing, because in nature there are no clear lines and perfect symmetry. For work, choose a thin pencil that is easy to erase without a trace. After removing extra lines, the image will need to be circled dark color or colorize. The success of such an activity, how to draw a turtle with a pencil, lies in the accuracy of the drawing, the absence of dirt.
Draw a line of the mouth on the face, then mark the paw. After finishing the shell, combining the lines of the head and paws. Divide the large part into a shell and abdomen with legs, decorate the back of the turtle with a pattern.
The listed rules do not have to be strictly followed, your picture may differ significantly in the shape and pattern of the shell, the size of body parts from the example given. The main thing is that all the details are present, including a small tail.
Draw a turtle: portrait
It is more convenient to depict someone in profile or from above; full-face drawings are much less common. How to draw a turtle also depends on the position of the character. The portrait image will turn out cute and visual.
First, we draw a detail resembling a pie, which we divide by 2 uneven lines.
In the center between the stripes we place a circle - this will be the head, on the sides we add paws, one of which is bent in the process of movement.
We erase the extra lines, draw the claws and a piece of the third paw. Inside
The turtle is a representative of the class of reptiles. The main feature of the animal is the presence of a shell. This element protects him from the attack of enemies.
The shell is very strong, covering both the back and the abdomen.
Some species of turtles can reach a body weight of more than 900 kilograms, and the weight of the smallest representatives of the species is no more than 125 grams.
Description of the body of the animal
When threatened, the turtle hides its head in its shell. Her eyes are arranged in such a way that she only looks down in front of her. The neck is short. For eating, the animal has a hard beak, on the surface of which teeth are located.
Depending on whether it is a predator or a herbivore, the teeth can be sharp or have rounded edges. Short tongue only needed to perform the swallowing function.
In the photo of the turtle, you can see 4 limbs and a tail, which she also hides in her shell. This reptile has good hearing and color vision.
Animals can shed, during this period the shields peel off from the shell, and the scales from the skin of the limbs also peel off.
The lifespan of animals in their natural habitat can be almost 200 years. AT winter time or in the summer heat, animals go into hibernation.
According to the habitat, there are sea, terrestrial, land and freshwater turtles.
Habitat
Where does the turtle live? Their habitat is countries with a tropical climate. There they live not only on land, but also in freshwater reservoirs, in warm sea and ocean expanses.
Land and freshwater reptiles prefer to settle on the shores of lakes, rivers and swamps. Marine and oceanic species live mainly in the water, rarely getting out on land.
Diet
What do turtles eat? The basis of the diet is directly determined by the type and place of residence of animals.
Land species prefer plant foods, shoots of trees and bushes, fruits and vegetables, grass and mushrooms. But in order to maintain the balance of protein structures in the body, they can eat worms and snails.
The need for moisture is replenished with the help of succulent young plants, but if possible, they will splash in the water with pleasure.
Freshwater and sea views are predators. The basis of their diet are small fish, frogs, snails, mussels, shrimps, squids, bird eggs, insects, molluscs. In parallel, they eat plants. Most representatives of reptiles are omnivores.
How to keep in an apartment
The basis of the diet of those turtles that live in an apartment is juicy leaves of vegetables and flowers (dandelion), apples, cucumbers, beets and tomatoes.
To make up for the lack of protein structures, you need to feed the animal with boiled bird eggs, include, if necessary, supplements and vitamin substances in the daily menu.
The lifestyle of a turtle suggests moderation in nutrition. You need to feed young individuals in the morning and evening, and adults - once a day, not more often. Unloading should be carried out weekly.
Reproduction features
The peak of the mating season is determined by the habitat of animals. Males actively fight for a place next to the female. Having won, the male begins to care for the female - they sing serenades, establish tactile contact with the chosen one.
The incubation period lasts up to three months. These animals are solitary, they need a pair only for reproduction. They winter in groups.
Features of care
Turtles are unpretentious animals, it is very easy to care for them. For home keeping, it is not recommended to choose large animals.
It is imperative to install filters to purify the water, if there is no filter, you need to change the water in the aquarium daily.
Hygienic measures for animal care involve the removal of algae that grow on the surface of the shell.
File overgrown nails with an abrasive nail file. In winter, it is recommended to irradiate with quartz, making sure that the light does not enter the eyes.
Photos of turtles
