Unintentional Boater Impacts

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Key Vocabulary Terms

Review these key terms from Loggerhead Marinelife Center's Virtual Coastal Classroom Lesson to help you find the answers and unlock our favorite photos and gifs of Galapagos!

Analogous Structure- an organ/body part that appears in animals from different ancestors but is similar in structure/location

Beak: any of various rigid projecting mouth structures (as of a turtle)

Buoyancy: the ability or tendency to float in water or air or some other fluid

Carapace: a bony plate covering the back or part of the back of an animal (such as a turtle or crab)

Exoskeleton- a rigid external covering for the body providing support and protection

Habitat: the natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organisms.

Homologous Structure- an organ/body part that appears in animals from the same ancestor and is similar in structure/location

Impact: the action of one object coming forcibly into contact with another.

Organ- a part of an organism that is self-contained and has a specific vital function

Plastron: the ventral part (underside) of the shell of a tortoise or turtle consisting typically of nine symmetrically placed bones

Prey: an animal taken by another animal as food

Rehabilitation: restoration especially by therapeutic means to an improved condition of physical function

Scute: an external bony or horny plate or large scale

Skeleton- an internal or external framework of bone, cartilage, or other rigid material for support

Species: a class of individuals having common attributes and designated by a common name
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What species of sea turtle is Galapagos?
Green sea turtle
Loggerhead sea turtle
Leatherback sea turtle
Kemp's Ridley sea turtle
Hawksbill sea turtle
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Galapagos is a green sea turtle!Green sea turtles get their species name from the color of their fat layer that absorbs the green pigments in the plants they eat. Can you spot any green-ish color on Galapagos below? (Image credit: Loggerhead Marinelife Center)
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Why is Galapagos in The Sea Turtle Hospital at Loggerhead Marinelife Center?
Galapagos was chronically debilitated
Galapagos was entangled in a fishing net
Galapagos was preyed on by a shark
Galapagos was unintentionally struck by a boat propeller
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Galapagos was found with an old unintentional boat strike injury to the back of his carapace, and fresh boat strike injuries on his right marginal (side) carapace. Galapagos was found floating and unable to dive offshore of Jupiter. Galapagos was rescued with the help of Jupiter locals off the back of a jet ski!
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What is the top of a sea turtle's shell called?
Plastron
Top shell
Carapace
Scute
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The top of the sea turtle's shell is called the carapaceDid you know a turtle can never leave its shell? A sea turtles backbone and ribs are infused into their shell
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Why do sea turtles come to the surface?
To check out the view
To breath
To catch food
To communicate to other turtles
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Sea turtles come up to the surface to breath. Sea turtles have lungs just like we do! Their lungs are much bigger than ours which allows them to hold their breath for an extended period of time.
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How do unintentional boat interactions impact sea turtles?
Can cause buoyancy issues in sea turtles
Can cause paralysis to sea turtles flippers
can cause damage to sea turtles shell and/or backbone
all the above
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All the above. Unintentional boat interactions can cause sea turtles to have buoyancy issues, paralysis in flippers, and damage to a sea turtles shell and/or backbone. These boating interactions can all be avoid as long as we take precautions while out on the water!
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What are ways that you can become more responsible boaters?
Wear polarized sunglasses while on a boat
Obey wake zones
Keep an eye out for sea turtles and other marine life while boating
All the above
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All the above! Wearing polarized sunglasses help us see under the water better, obeying wake zones keep us safe and protect the habitats in those designated areas, and keeping an eye out for marine life is always fun but responsible!
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Key Vocabulary Terms