Green sea turtles are incredible swimmers. Their front flippers are shaped like paddles and they use them to glide gracefully through the water, almost like flying. They can hold their breath for several hours when they are resting or sleeping underwater. But they must come up to breathe air, just like us.
In Samoa, green sea turtles are respected in traditional culture and are protected by law. Female turtles come ashore on quiet beaches at night to lay their eggs — often returning to the very beach where they were hatched themselves. They lay around 100 eggs at a time, buried in the warm sand. After about two months, tiny hatchlings dig their way out and race to the sea.
Turtles eat sea grasses and algae, which keeps coral reef areas healthy and clean. In Samoan waters, turtles can often be spotted gliding over the reef. Some communities have set up turtle-watching programmes to help protect the nesting beaches, and children are taught from an early age to leave turtles undisturbed.