Sea Turtles Educational Resources

Sea turtles are one of the Earth’s most ancient creatures. For more than 100 million years and since the time of dinosaurs, seven species have covered vast distances across the world’s oceans, filling a vital role in the balance of our marine habitats. Human activities have impacted their survival. Nearly all species of sea turtle are classified as endangered. Slaughtered for their eggs, meat, skin and shells, sea turtles suffer from poaching and over-exploitation. They also face habitat destruction, accidental capture in fishing gear and their ingestion of plastic bags floating in the ocean mistaken for their preferred food source, the jellyfish. Climate change has also impacted turtle nesting sites by altering sand temperatures, which affects the sex of hatchlings.

• Pacific Beach Coalition’s Earth Day Turtle Walk special educational tool features in-depth information and images of seven species of sea turtles that dwell all over the planet including the Leatherback, Green, Kemp’s Ridley, Olive Ridley, Hawksbill, Loggerhead and Flatback
• Sea Turtle & The Leatherback Fun Facts
• Endangered Turtle Species & Major Threats
• What We Can Do to Protect Sea Turtles
• California Designates Leatherback Sea Turtle as Official State Symbol
• West Coast Critical Habitat for the Pacific Leatherback Turtle
• Sea Turtle Kids Coloring Page
• Sea Turtle Restoration Project
• Sea Turtles (NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources)
• Sea Turtle Conservancy
• SeaTurtles.org
• Teacher’s Circle – Sea Turtle Conservancy
• Voyage of the Lonely Turtle – PBS Interview with Wallace J. Nichols
• Kid’s Stuff – Sea Turtle Conservancy
• Pacific Leatherback Protection

Books for Kids

• Luna by J. Cummings (2001)
• Sea Turtles: Ocean Nomads by M.M. Cerulo and J.L. Rotman (2003)
• Sea Turtles: Animals of the Ocean by S. Dunbier (2000)

Suggested Readings

• Voyage of the Turtle: In pursuit of the Earth’s Last Dinosaur by Carl Safina
• Sea Turtles by J.R. Spotila (2005) Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Univ. Press (great info on trends, threats, basic biology)
• Interrupted Journey: Saving Endangered Sea Turtles by Kathryn Lasky and Christopher G. Knight (May 9, 2006)
• Singing the Turtles to Sea: The Comcasc (Seri) Art and Science of Reptiles. Gary Paul Nabhan, Harry W. Greene (2003)