"By chance or adaptive arrangement, a turtle nest is
safe from most natural enemies during the greater part of the ~50 to ~60
day incubation period. The egg eaters are a menace while the eggs are
being laid and for a day or two afterwards. After that however there
follows a peaceful period when no animal seems to be able to locate turtle
eggs in the nest." Note: If this had not been the case then various animals, some long ago extinct, would have extirpated the sea turtle 100 million years ago. |