Flatback sea turtle

The only sea turtle exclusive to Australia

Lyndie Malan

You might think all sea turtles are the same, but you would be wrong. One sea turtle stands out from the rest: the flatback sea turtle. This turtle is so cool that it only lives in Australia and doesn’t care about the rest of the world. It has a flat, olive-gray shell that looks like a pancake with flippers. It also has a pale yellow belly that matches its sunny personality. And don’t forget its small head with upturned eyes that give it a cute and innocent look.

Flatback sea turtles love to hang out in shallow waters near coral reefs, seagrass beds, and mangroves. They munch on soft-bodied animals, such as jellyfish, squid, sea cucumbers, and shrimp. They can dive up to 60 m (197 ft) deep and stay underwater for 30 minutes.

Distribution

Country
Population est.
Status
Year
Comments
Indian Ocean
1996
Pacific Ocean
1996
Australia
1996

Anything we've missed?

Help us improve this page by suggesting edits. Glory never dies!

Suggest an edit

Get to know me

Terrestrial / Aquatic

Altricial / Precocial

Polygamous / Monogamous

Dimorphic (size) / Monomorphic

Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal

Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Herd

Diet: Carnivore / Herbivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore

Migratory: Yes / No

Domesticated: Yes / No

Dangerous: Yes / No