They are carnivorous, and rarely feed on vegetation, if at all. No information is available on how flatbacks communicate.įlatback turtles seek out prey such as sea cucumbers, mollusks, jellyfish, prawns, bryzoans and other invertebrates in shallow waters. ( Devaux and Dewetter, 2000 Ripple, 1996) It is currently a natural reserve with limited access to tourists. This seems to be a major egg laying site for flatback turtles, however exact numbers have not been collected. One area where they have been observed nesting is the island of Mon Repos, located 9 miles northwest of the coastal city of Bundaberg, Queensland. However, if they are under stress or excited they cannot hold their breath as long. They can rest of sleep underwater for hours before needing another breath. The adults seem to sleep near rocks or under ledges, while young flatbacks sleep on the surface. Not much is known about the general behavior of flatback sea turtles. Age is measured by the length of the carapace. Flatbacks raised in captivity will mature and grow faster because they generally recieve more protien in their diets. gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate)įlatback sea turtles, like most sea turtles, have a relatively long lifespan of up to 100 years.( Devaux and Dewetter, 2000 Hewavisenthi and Parmenter, 2001 Ripple, 1996) Flatbacks have no pelagic phase so young hatchlings remain close to shore. Due to their size, the sex can usually be determined just by visual identification, however histological examination may be needed for 100% certainty. The large size of flatback hatchlings provides them with some protection from predators. The eggs are around 51 mm long and come in clutches of around 50 eggs (other species of sea turtles may have 100 or 150 eggs). Female flatbacks dig nests on the slopes of dunes in Australia. Mating and nesting takes place in November and December in flatbacks. They reach sexual maturity anywhere between 7 and 50 years of age. No one is really sure where they go during this time. The pelagic phase, also called the 'lost year,' is when young sea turtles venture out and explore the seas and are almost never seen. Their size and swimming ability makes them less likely to be thrown off course by sea currents or strong waves.ĭespite their swimming ability, young flatback turtles generally stay close to shore and do not have a pelagic phase like most other sea turtles. Their size not only helps protect them from predators such as crabs and gulls, it also makes them stronger swimmers. Range length 76 to 96 cm 29.92 to 37.80 inįlatback hatchlings are much larger than other sea turtle young, with an average carapace length of 60 mm.This may be one reason the flatback stays away from the rocky terrain of coral reefs. The keratin layer which protects both the carapace and flippers is so fragile that even small amounts of pressure (such as flapping its flippers against the plastron) can draw blood. One interesting note about flatbacks' carapaces is that they are much thinner than those of other sea turtles. The most distinctive trait of these turtles is their smooth, flat shell which tends to turn up at the edges. The underbelly, or plastron, is an off-white or yellow color. Both males and females have rounded heads which usually match the olive green color of its outer shells or carapaces. In adults, the females are larger than males but males have longer tails. ( Ripple, 1996)įlatbacks are moderately-sized turtles that usually weigh approximately 70 kgs. In addition, no flatbacks have been found in coral reefs. They usually will not venture past the continental shelf. ( 'Flatback Sea Turtle Information & Map', 2003 Ripple, 1996)įlatback turtles prefer the shallow, soft-bottom areas close to the shore, or the inshore waters of bays. However, they will occasionally travel to the Tropic of Capricorn or the coastal waters of Papua New Guinea to feed. They have only been found to live in the northern waters of Australia. In fact, flatbacks have the smallest geographic range of all their relative sea turtles. Flatback sea turtles are native to Australia, and rarely travel far from home.

Flatback seaturtle description