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Five species of sea turtles are found in Brazil, out of seven in the world.
However, all of them are considered vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and two of the Brazilian sea turtles are at risk of extinction.
According to the Tamar Project, sea turtles have existed for more than 150 million years.
Sea turtles live in tropical waters and in Brazil they are often found in Recife, Pernambuco.
A female can lay eggs four to six times per season.
According to estimates, of the 100 hatchlings born, only one will reach adulthood.
Video about sea turtles
Tartarugas marinhas do Brasil
Projeto Tamar
Espécies de tartarugas marinhas no Brasil
As incríveis tartarugas marinhas06:20
5 Species of sea turtles found in Brazil
1. Loggerhead or Mestizo turtle
Scientific name: Caretta caretta
Features: This species of sea turtle can reach up to 136 cm in length and its weight ranges from 100 to 180 kg.
The loggerhead turtle gets its name from the size of its head and its extremely strong jaw.
Its estimated population is 60,000 females of reproductive age. The main nesting areas of the Loggerhead Turtle in Brazil are in the north of Bahia, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro and Sergipe.
2. Green Turtle or Aruanã
Scientific name: Chelonia mydas
Features: The Green Turtle can reach up to 143 cm in length and weighs around 200 kg. Their habitat is in coastal waters with lots of vegetation and they are rarely seen in the open sea.
The estimated population is 203,000 females of reproductive age.
Spawning takes place mainly in the Ilha da Trindade (ES), in the Atol das Rocas (RN) and in Fernando de Noronha (PE).
3. Comb or Legitimate Turtle
Scientific name: Dermochelys coriacea
Characteristics: the Hawksbill Turtle is listed by the IUCN as the species most at risk of extinction.
The main causes of this are the exploitation of their eggs on the beaches, the loss and degradation of their habitat, capture and the fact that they are trapped in fishing nets.
Its length can reach up to 114 cm and it can weigh up to 150 kg. Spawning is most common on the north coast of Bahia and Sergipe and on the south coast of Rio Grande do Norte.
4. Leatherback or Giant Tortoise
Scientific name: Eretmochelys imbricata
Characteristics: The Leatherback Turtle is the largest of all species and is also at risk of extinction.
Animals up to 182 cm long have been recorded in Brazil.
Their weight can reach up to 700kg. The estimated population of the Leatherback or Giant Leatherback sea turtle is 34,000 females of reproductive age and their regular spawning occurs on the northern coast of Espírito Santo.
5. Olive Ridley Turtle
Scientific name: Lepidochelys olivacea
Characteristics: The Olive Ridley Turtle is the smallest of the species found in Brazil. Its length can reach up to 82 cm and weighs an average of 40 kg.
The estimated population worldwide is 800,000 females of reproductive age. The spawning area is located between the south coast of the state of Alagoas and the north coast of Bahia.
Species of sea turtles that visit the Brazilian coast.
Tourism and Travel Guide to Salvador, Bahia and the Northeast
