The Disney Pixar underwater classic, "Finding Nemo," has made clown fish and anemones popular. Any person, whether a child of six, to a child at heart at 66, fell in love with Marlin, Dori and the gang of salt and freshwater fish alike as they tried to return Nemo to his doting, desperate father. Along their journey, they met Bruce, a great white shark, a stingray, and a plethora of jellyfish, just to name a few. But many moviegoers want more information on arguably the most engaging and entertaining character of the whole movie, Crush. So, to put it bluntly, what type of turtle is this wave-surfing dude?
Identifying Crush
Crush is a green sea turtle. To put it scientifically, a Chelonia Mydas. These turtles are found in tropical waters all around the world. Specific to the movie, "Finding Nemo," Crush can be found on the East Australian Current heading straight for Sydney, Australia.
Physical Description
As one of the largest turtles, ranging in average size from 28 inches to 60 inches, green sea turtles can way up to 450 pounds. They get their name from the color of their shell. However, sea turtles living in Atlantic and Pacific waters have slightly different characteristics. The Pacific turtle, or the Chelonia mydas agassizii, has higher and narrower shells than its Atlantic cousin.
Behavior
Green sea turtles reach maturity between the ages of 10-years-old to 24-years-old. When it is time to lay eggs, the female will crawl to shore and dig for hours. She will discard her clutch (the grouping of eggs) into this hole. When the eggs hatch, they move their flippers and work toward daylight. A female green sea turtle can lay 100 to 200 eggs per nesting period. Nesting occurs every three to six years.
Save Crush
Green sea turtles have many predators. For this reason, they are on the endangered species list. These animals, even though able to lay 200 eggs in one clutch, often are never born. Many of the eggs are food for predators, such as coyotes, foxes, and even humans. If they do hatch, dolphins and sharks often eat them on their way back home. Many are even captured by humans and made into food, such as turtle soup. Sea turtles are capable of living 100 years if given the chance.
Writer Bio
Caroline Crennan graduated in May 2009 from The University of Scranton with a major in criminal justice and a minor in writing. She has written and completed three unpublished novels and is always eager for new writing challenges and experiences.
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