The Lost Years- Sea Turtle Young in the Sea
Baby sea turtles begin as hatchlings who break through their eggs in the tropical regions of the oceans. Eggs are laid on the beach, and two months later the hatchling breaks through the egg and reaches the beach. The period of time from their first swim to almost a decade later is referred to as the "lost years".
The Lost years are a period of time when the sea turtle matures and roams the sea. From the time the sea turtle hatches and leaves the best until a decade has elapsed, the turtle roams the ocean and grows by eating a variety of prey. The sea turtle is hard to track during the "lost years", and this is an important part of their life cycle. Fully grown females lay eggs every few years, and thus maintain their habitat in proximity to beaches where their eggs have a higher chance to survive to yield hatchlings.
The life cycle of the sea turtle begins when their mother lays their egg, with a cycle of 2-4 years. From then on, the turtle must focus on survival and growth. Sea turtles find peril in the ocean as they grow during their "lost years", and are often hunted by predators and people.
The "lost years" are relateable. We as humans spend years growing and spreading our wings. Like sea turtles, we eventually settle down with the expressed intent of seeing our seed and creating a stable home. We are programmed to seek opportunity and in our younger years, we follow resources and mates to a brighter future.
Sources:
Pixabay Image