Prior to posting about Jekyll Island and Georgia Sea Turtle center, it struck my mind with passion to learn more about the evolution of marine turtles and of their adaptation for aquatic life! The species “Odontochelys semitestacea” is the oldest turtle species to date, with fossil remains that are from the Triassic period!
Scientists believe that they were aquatic animals because of the characteristics of the vestiges found. Are you prepared for more interesting insight on the discovery of direct descendants of turtles and dinosaurs? Well, evidently birds such as chickens are actually the closest living relative of the most incredible predator that's ever existed in the world!
Now, even though these creatures are well-adapted to the ocean, they require air to survive. It is approximated that only one out of a thousand hatchlings survives to be an adult. Sea turtles live in almost every ocean basin throughout the world, nesting on tropical and subtropical beaches!
These ancient creatures have been on Earth for more than a hundred million years — even surviving the dinosaurs when they became extinct 65 million years ago. If time makes one wiser, perhaps we should take note and hit the beach, ourselves! 🥚🐢🏝💕