Green Sea Turtles

Adaptation

The process by which a species becomes more fit for its environment over the course of several generations. It is a result of natural selection.

Camouflage

The ability for an organism to blend into its surroundings usually to hide from prey or predators.

Tortoise shells with a low opening for the tortoise’s head.

Drought

A period of time with very little rainfall.

Carnivore

An animal that primarily eats meat.

Ectotherm

An animal that relies on the outside temperature to regulate their body temperature (reptiles and amphibians). Also known as cold-blooded.

Endemic

Living in one place and nowhere else.

Herbivore

An animal that eats mostly plants.

Invasive Species

An organism that has established a population somewhere it is not native to.

Prey

An animal that is hunted and eaten by another animal.

Reptile

A group of ectothermic (cold-blooded) vertebrates that are covered in scales and generally lay eggs.

Saddleback Shell

Tortoise shells with a high opening for the tortoise’s head.

Species

A closely related group of animals with similar characteristics that are capable of reproducing (example: tigers).

Subspecies

A group of animals within a species that are genetically different from other groups in the same species (there are 6 subspecies of tigers).

Terrestrial

Living on land.

Volcanic Island

An island formed by volcanic activity.