Green Sea Turtle

Photo: Nils Dietze · CC BY-NC

Green turtles are resident grazers on Bar Reef's seagrass patches and algae-encrusted coral rubble, with multiple individuals often feeding simultaneously within a single dive. The reef's Marine Sanctuary protections have allowed this population to stabilise after decades of egg collection and fisheries bycatch reduced numbers severely. Turtles here exhibit notably relaxed behaviour around divers, a reflection of the reduced human pressure compared to more accessible Sri Lankan reefs.