Flatback Turtle

Imagine a turtle, but with a shell that's not bumpy and round, but nice and flat! That's a Flatback turtle! These amazing sea turtles live in the warm waters of Australia and Papua New Guinea. They love to swim and explore the ocean floor, looking for tasty treats to eat. Their flat shells help them glide through the water easily, like a speedy swimmer in a race!

Flatback turtles are not picky eaters! They love to eat all sorts of yummy things they find on the ocean floor. Their favorite snacks include jellyfish, sea cucumbers, and tasty sea grasses. They use their strong jaws to chomp on their food. It's like they have their own underwater buffet, always finding something delicious to munch on!

Flatback turtles are pretty big! Their shells can grow to be as long as a grown-up is tall, about 3 feet! And they can weigh as much as a big dog, around 200 pounds. That's a lot of turtle! Even though they are big, they are gentle giants of the sea, swimming peacefully through the ocean waves.

Flatback turtles can live for a very long time, sometimes up to 50 years! That's longer than your grandparents have been alive! Female turtles come ashore to lay their eggs on sandy beaches, and baby turtles, called hatchlings, are born ready to scurry to the sea. They have to be brave and quick to start their amazing ocean adventure.