Let’s Talk About the Turtles from Finding Nemo

While Marlin and Dory are undoubtedly the stars of Pixar’s Finding Nemo, two other fan favorites were the friendly sea turtles who helped them on their journey.

What are the names of these amiable reptiles, and what kind of turtles are they? Keep reading to find out.

What Are the Turtle Names from Finding Nemo?

The adult turtle from Finding Nemo is named Crush. His adorable son is Squirt. These two characters embody a laid-back attitude combined with compassionate attention to the needs of others.

What Kind of Turtle are Crush and Squirt?

Crush and Squirt are green sea turtles (scientific name Chelonia mydas).

This species is the largest hard-shelled sea turtle, reaching up to four feet (122 cm) in length and weighing between 280 to 350 pounds (127-159 kg).

Newly hatched, a baby turtle appears black with white highlights. As they grow, they develop their brown shell color.

Their common name comes more from the color of their skin and the layer of fat beneath their shell, both of which have a greenish hue.

Is Crush Really 150 Years Old?

Sadly, no. Green sea turtles have a lifespan of around 80 years, which is still quite impressive!

What do Crush and Squirt Eat?

Green sea turtles are the only known purely herbivorous sea turtle. They spend their day snacking on sea grass and algae.

While the adult Crush would eat only plants, juvenile Squirt would also eat invertebrate foods, such as crabs and jellyfish. Younger and newly hatched green sea turtles feast on plankton.

Where do Crush and Squirt Live?

Green sea turtles have an extraordinarily large natural range. They can be found worldwide in tropical and subtropical waters.

Conservation officials have documented them nesting in more than 80 countries and observed them off the coast of more than 140.

The largest population resides near Raine Island, which is likely where Crush and Squirt would have originated.

Located on the northern tip of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, this island sees more than 64,000 nesting females in a season – with upwards of 20,000 turtles covering the beach at once!

This is an amazing sight on an island just over one-tenth of a square mile in size!

Do Crush and Squirt Really Ride the East Australian Current (EAC)?

Yes, it would be possible for these turtles to ride the EAC.

This surface current carries warm water along the eastern coast of Australia and extends from the Coral Sea down to New South Wales, where Sydney, the destination of Marlin and Dory, is located.

It is not unheard of for sea creatures from the Barrier Reef to be spirited along this aquatic highway, although the speed at which they would travel would not be as swift as in the movie.

Natural green sea turtle migration routes follow part of this current track as well.

How Far do Green Sea Turtles Migrate?

They travel hundreds of miles in their migrations, with the longest recorded distance of 1,616 miles (2,600 km).

After hatching, green sea turtles make their way to the ocean’s open waters, where they spend the next eight years.

Eventually, they inhabit shallow coastal areas that are rich in seagrass. Finally, they return to the very beach they themselves hatched on every three to six years to lay their eggs.

What is the Conservation Status of Green Sea Turtles?

Real-life Crush and Squirt are endangered, according to the IUCN Red List.

Only one in every 1,000 green sea turtle hatchlings survives to maturity.

Predation by marine birds and fish, habitat loss, vessel strikes, and commercial bycatch severely impact the survival rate. The illegal trade of turtle shells and meat threatens native populations.

This makes Squirt all the more special, as he has survived the odds thus far to travel along with his dad.

We hope you have enjoyed learning about Crush and Squirt!

Comment below if there are any other turtle facts you wish to know.