What do Turtles Eat and Who Eats Turtles?

Turtles are known to boast their place as a vital link in many of the food webs. They are the kind of animals that scatter seeds back into the environment. There are a lot of predators that prey upon the turtle for food and also their eggs are being harvested by many more to provide life giving sustenance.

But the question is, what do turtles eat?

Turtles are known to be omnivores. Basically, they eat a wide number of foods such as plant matter and smaller vertebrates plus they also eat whatever that comes their way. And would you believe? They also eat the bait at the end of a fishing line. They also eat frogs, larvae, small fish, tadpoles and crayfish. Also, they are into amphiphods, shrimp and snails. Turtles also eat roots, fruits, stems, duckweed, seeds and leaves. They also eat herbaceous plants which emerges anywhere and also algae (blue and green).

Who eats turtles?

Human beings are the turtle?s greatest predators. People sometimes shoot them for sports; they could also be run over by cars and sometimes gets hooked by a heartless fisherman. Also, it is a well-known issue that egg turtles are harvested so that its hatchlings could be used in pet trade. And of course, children who get to see them in woods or streams wandering; they would capture the poor turtles and make it as a pet even if they don?t know how to take care of one.

There are a lot of animals that would consider as their food ? like the adult turtle, hatchlings and most especially the eggs. For example, the fish like the bass and pike, they eat a turtle hatchling. Snakes and frogs also do that. Raccoons and skunks are also into eating turtle eggs. Birds like the heron feast on turtle hatchlings as well as otters, minks and crows.

With all the many natural predators, the survival of the turtles depends on man taking himself out of the equation. It is a must for children to be taught how to respect all animals and not just turtles. Through this way, endangered species like turtles could be saved. Ignorance is not an excuse since we are all capable to learn about these things. We should be aware that turtles are important animals since they are becoming more and more extinct. So let this article enlighten you about the importance of turtles other than knowing what do turtles eat or how it survives its own habitat.

Knowing what do turtles eat is essential for their very existence. If you have a pet turtle, it is a must to know the pet turtle care basics. Like humans, turtles need the best care possible and caring for them does not have to make us feel obligatory but rather it's a fun and fulfilling experience!