The Green Turtle Race to the Shore
In The Green Turtle Race to the Shore, narrator Gordon Buchanan describes how hatchlings emerge from under the sand on Raine Island off the Great Barrier Reef. A lone hatchling is easy prey, but soon many others join it. As they race to the shore, herons prey upon them. One lucky turtle is able to fight back and escape the jaws of the heron. This video is excerpted from BBC's Animal Babies, a heartwarming show that follows the first breaths, first steps, and first feeds of some adorable baby animals, revealing the challenges they face to survive in some of the toughest but most beautiful places on the planet.
Lesson Express
Q: Why is it safer for a turtle hatchling to be part of a large group?
A: Alone, it is an easy target for the many herons.
Q: What protection does the turtle hatchling have against the herons?
A: Its shell is hard to bite. It can bite back.
Q: Why do you think the green turtles are safest in the open ocean?
A: Their bodies are built for swimming. They are harder for predators to catch.
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