Sea turtles are amazing creatures that spend most of their lives submerged beneath the water's surface, only surfacing for air or to lay their eggs. Most species return to the exact spot that they were hatched at. Though they may look similar, not all sea turtles are the same. The Kemp's Ridley sea turtle does not nest individually like other turtles, but instead storms the beach in one mass arrival. The leatherback turtle does not have a hard shell. Instead, it has a collage of bony plates beneath its leathery skin. Leatherbacks are also the largest of the sea turtles.

Sea turtles have been around since the age of the dinosaurs and can have lifespans of over 150 years! But the sad reality is that there are only 8 living species of these amazing creatures left today. These are the flatback, hawksbill, leatherback, loggerhead, black turtle, olive ridley, Kemp's Ridley, and the green sea turtle. All of these species are listed as either threatened or endangered. It would be a terrible thing if they were to all go extinct, because sea turtles play a very active role in our planet's ecosystems.

In the water, sea turtles are one of the few sea creatures that eat sea grass, a vegetation that grows along the sea floor. Sea grass must be kept short in order for it to remain healthy and inviting to the many marine organisms that use it as areas of breeding and development.

Sea turtles also help the world above the waves. Beaches and dunes are both fragile ecosystems that don't get many nutrients to help support their vegetation. These plants are one of the key factors in preventing soil erosion. Beaches and dunes can get a large amount of nutrients from hatched eggs as well as from eggs that won't hatch and hatchlings that fail to make the journey into the water. It is important to be careful around these turtles so that they are preserved. They will help preserve our world in return.