The diagram illustrates the life cycle of sea turtles, showing the various developmental stages from eggs to mature adults, as well as the changes in their habitat throughout the process.
Overall, the life cycle is a cyclical process consisting of several stages, beginning with eggs incubating on nesting beaches and ending with mature turtles reproducing before the cycle starts again. During their development, sea turtles migrate between different marine environments, and the longest phase is the developmental migration, which lasts between 30 and 50 years.
Initially, adult females lay eggs on sandy nesting beaches. These eggs remain in the nest for an incubation period of approximately 8-10 weeks before hatching. The hatchlings then make their way to the open ocean, where they spend their early years foraging near the surface. This stage, commonly referred to as the “lost years”, lasts for around 5-20 years.
Following this period, the turtles undergo/go through a developmental migration that takes approximately 30-50 years, gradually reaching maturity while feeding in coastal shallow waters. Once fully grown, both male and female turtles migrate to shallow-water mating areas to reproduce. After mating, adult males immediately return to their coastal foraging grounds. By contrast, adult females remain in the nesting area, laying eggs at two-week intervals before eventually returning to their feeding grounds. The newly laid eggs then hatch after 8-10 weeks, thereby completing the life cycle.