Named for the color of its body fat rather than its shell, which is brown, gray, or olive . This is the one sea turtle that becomes a grazer: after an early pelagic phase feeding on drift-line animals, juveniles move inshore and switch to seagrass and algae . Adults reach three to four feet and 250 to 400 pounds, and do not mature until 25 to 35 years old . Juvenile green turtles are the most abundant sea turtle in Texas inshore waters and have made up most of the state's strandings since 2009, largely because the shallow lagoon where they feed is also where they get cold-stunned . The first documented green turtle nest in Texas was at the National Seashore in 1987; nesting has since spread, and South Padre Island is one of the two Texas locations (with North Padre) where green nests have been recorded .
Observe responsibly
Wildlife, tides and access conditions change. Keep a respectful distance, do not feed wildlife, stay out of dunes and marked nesting areas, and use current official rules before fishing or handling any catch.