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ArtistLeatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) find it hard to cope with climate change. They lay their eggs in beach sand, whose temperature determines whether the hatchlings are male or female. Warmer sand produces females, causing a crisis by drying out turtle eggs. The eggs that do hatch produce up to 99% females, so that the lack of male turtles makes reproduction impossible. Sea turtles must adapt by shifting nesting timing to cooler months and egg-laying to nighttime. Moreover, turtles need to expand their geographic range to higher latitudes or to more shaded, vegetation-covered beaches. Leatherbacks already dig deep nests to buffer against surface heat, and individuals that dig deeper could pass on that trait. The image shows an exquisitely detailed National Geographic quality close-up illustration of several sea turtles on a tropical shore during a full moon, climbing dunes to higher, vegetation-rich altitudes. The style is a biological illustration with extreme scientific precision, drawn as line art in bold colors.
Leatherback turtles change their egg-laying strategies to survive.