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Credit: GSTC Turtle Patrol.

Turtles, like the humans who love them, are a diverse bunch. There are over 300 species of this ancient reptile, and each one has its own preferred diet.

Some turtles are carnivores, while others follow a strictly vegetarian diet. Most turtles, however, are omnivores, eating both animals and plants.

What a turtle eats depends on its species - specifically, what kind of jaw it has for masticating (chewing) food, where it lives and what food sources are available to it. Sea turtles, depending on the species, may eat seagrasses, algae, sponges, sea squirts, squid, shrimp, crabs, jellyfish, cuttlefish or sea cucumbers. For instance, leatherback sea turtles ( Dermochelys coriacea), which can reach a whopping 1,100 pounds (500 kilograms) use their scissorlike jaws to munch on a jellyfish-only diet, according to the Sea Turtle Conservancy. Green sea turles ( Chelonia myadis), on the other hand, are herbivores that feed on algae and seagrasses.

A freshwater turtle's diet is just as varied and may include worms, snails, insect larvae, aquatic insects, crustaceans, water plants, algae and fallen fruit. Some species of freshwater turtles, such as snapping turtles, also eat small mammals, frogs, snakes, fish and even other, smaller turtles, according to Connecticut's Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

Terrestrial turtles also eat a variety of foods, from earthworms, grubs, snails, beetles and caterpillars to grasses, fruit, berries, mushrooms and flowers. Both aquatic and land turtles have been known to eat carrion (decaying flesh) when it's available.

Many species of turtles are commonly kept as pets, and just like their wild cousins, they eat a diverse range of foods. Commercial turtle pellets and fish pellets, as well as gut-loaded insects (bugs with nutrient-rich diets), earthworms and small fish, are often sold as turtle food at pet stores. Turtle owners should speak with a veterinarian or other professional when planning a diet for their pet, as the diets of captive turtles also vary by species.

Follow Elizabeth Palermo on Twitter @techEpalermo, Facebook or Google+. Follow LiveScience @livescience. We're also on Facebook & Google+.

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Turtles, like the humans who love them, are a diverse bunch. There are over 300 species of this ancient reptile, and each one has its own preferred diet. Some turtles are carnivores, while others follow a strictly vegetarian diet. Most turtles, however, are omnivores, eating both animals and plants.

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Transcript

NARRATOR:

Did you know that sea turtles have been living on planet Earth since the time of the dinosaurs? - around 110 million years. There are seven different species of sea turtles, six of which -- green, hawksbill, Kemp's ridley, leatherback, loggerhead, and the olive ridley can be found throughout the ocean - in both warm and cool waters. The seventh species, the flatback, lives only in Australia.

What's amazing about sea turtles is that after years traveling the open ocean they return to the nesting grounds where they were born to lay their eggs. In their voyage from nesting to feeding grounds - some species will travel more than 1,000 miles.

But life is filled with danger for a sea turtle, especially the hatchlings. On the beach, birds, crabs, raccoons, even foxes will eat hatchlings. And if hatchlings make it to the ocean, they are still tasty snacks for seabirds and fish.

However, the greatest threats to sea turtles aren't from natural predators; they are from humans. Accidental catch in commercial fisheries or entanglement in marine debris are serious threats to sea turtles, as well as destruction of beach habitat, harvesting or poaching for meat and eggs, and even boat strikes.

But people aren't just sitting by, nations are working together to protect and conserve sea turtles. In 1981, an international agreement made it illegal to trade all seven species of sea turtles and their eggs, shells, or meat internationally.

Governments are figuring out ways to reduce bycatch such as requiring new designs of fishing gear and changes to fishing practices to make them less likely to capture turtles. And, marine protected areas are being established in important sea turtle habitats.

Conservation organizations are working with local communities to help change fishing practices as well as transition incomes away from turtle harvesting and toward turtle tourism. Other local efforts include: working to reduce sources of marine debris, monitoring sea turtle nests to protect them from poaching; and passing laws that prevent irresponsible development on known nesting beaches.

A healthy ocean depends on sea turtles. And sea turtles need our help.

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NARRATOR: Did you know that sea turtles have been living on planet Earth since the time of the dinosaurs? - around 110 million years. There are seven different species of sea turtles, six of which -- green, hawksbill, Kemp's ridley, leatherback, loggerhead, and the olive ridley can be found throughout the ocean - in both warm and cool waters.

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Marine Turtles of Australia examines the biology, reproduction (mating, nest building, egg laying and hatching), behaviour, threats to turtles. It also looks at the six species found in Australian waters - Australian Flatback Turtle, green, hawksbill, leatherback, loggerhead and Olive Ridley turtles.

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Worldwide, six of the seven sea turtle species are classified as threatened or endangered due to human actions and lifestyles. Bonaire is the home to three of the world's six endangered or critically endangered species of marine turtles: the ha [...]

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What do sea turtles eat? Well, that depends on the species. Sea turtles range from a herbivorous diet to a carnivorous diet. Take a look at the video above to see sea turtles in action, and check out these facts about three of the most common sea turtle species.

Hawksbill Sea Turtle Diet

Hawksbill sea turtles are omnivorous, eating anemones, mollusks, crustaceans, jellyfish and more.But their favorite treat - as you can see in the video above - might just be sponges. Their narrow head and beak allow them to retrieve food from crevices and tough-to-reach places.

Green Sea Turtle Diet

Adult sea turtles are herbivores - unlike most sea turtle species - and their serrated jaws help them chew vegetation such as algae and seagrass. Juvenile green sea turtles are omnivores, eating crustaceans, jellyfish and more.

Loggerhead Sea Turtle Diet

Loggerhead sea turtles are carnivorous, as their jaw allows them to easily eat bottom dwellers such as crabs and sea urchins.

This video was shot by Andy Zunz on a Garmin VIRB Ultra 30 while traveling in Komodo, Indonesia, aboard the Arenui liveaboard.

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What do sea turtles eat? Well, that depends on the species. Sea turtles range from a herbivorous diet to a carnivorous diet. Take a look at the video above to see sea turtles in action, and check out these facts about three of the most common sea turtle species.