Unlike other sea turtles, the green turtle did not get its name from its skin or shell, but instead from the greenish hue of its fat!
The green turtle is the largest of the hard-shelled sea turtles and the second largest sea turtle species after the leatherback turtle. They can reach lengths of up to 1.2 meters (4 feet) long and weigh upwards of 135 kilograms (300 pounds).
These sea turtles are also unique to other sea turtle species in that they are strict herbivores — mostly grazing on seagrasses and algae. Known to travel incredible distances throughout their life, green turtles use the earth′s magnetic field like an invisible map to guide them. In fact, these globetrotters can be found in the coastal waters of more than 140 countries!
As adults, females will return to their native beaches to nest, coming ashore to lay about 100 eggs before returning to the sea. They may repeat this multiple times, sometimes laying nine clutches in one season, although the average is around three. While generally, this is the only time these sea turtles will come onshore, there is at least one population in Hawaii that includes individuals that are known to rest on the beaches during the day.