What Do Sea Turtles Eat? Diet by Species
Sea turtles eat different foods by species: seagrass, jellyfish, sponges, crabs and more. See what each kind eats, from hatchling to adult, with NOAA sources.
Sea turtle
Sea turtles are air-breathing reptiles that spend almost their whole lives in the ocean. Females come ashore only to lay eggs on sandy beaches.
Key numbers
Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas)
| Shell length | 0.9–1.2 m (3–4 ft)(fisheries.noaa.gov) |
|---|---|
| Weight | 113–200 kg (249–441 lb)(fisheries.noaa.gov) |
| Lifespan (wild) | 70–75+ years(fisheries.noaa.gov) |
| Diet | Young turtles eat a mix of plants and small animals. Adults mostly graze on seagrass and algae.(animaldiversity.org) |
| Habitat | Ocean: Tropical and subtropical seas worldwide, with a non-breeding range from about 40°N to 40°S.(animaldiversity.org) |
| Conservation status | Endangered(animaldiversity.org) |
Leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)
| Shell length | 1.4–1.8 m (5–6 ft)(fisheries.noaa.gov) |
|---|---|
| Weight | 250–900 kg (551–1,984 lb)(fisheries.noaa.gov) |
| Lifespan (wild) | 50+ years(fisheries.noaa.gov) |
| Lifespan (human care) | 30 years(animaldiversity.org) |
| Diet | Mostly soft, jelly-like animals such as jellyfish and salps, plus occasional small crustaceans, fish and snails.(animaldiversity.org) |
| Habitat | Ocean: Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans; the widest-ranging sea turtle, reaching cold waters as far as Newfoundland and Norway; nests mainly on tropical beaches.(animaldiversity.org) |
Sources give different figures for some of these numbers; we show the range they support.
Read more about the sea turtle
Our full sea turtle profile is on the way. Meanwhile, see it next to a person, to scale.