Distribution
These turtles are known to nest in Akurella, Mawella, Kosgoda, Rekawa, Ambalantota, Yala & Bundala of Sri Lanka. They are widely distributed in tropical & sub tropical regions especially around oceanic islands & along coasts with wide sandy beaches. Also they are seen in all oceans with primarily temperate waters. There is a huge population in Atlantic & Eastern Pacific oceans.

Characteristics
These are large sea turtles & the only member of genus Chelonia. They have dorso-ventrally-flattened bodies, a beaked head at the end of a short neck, & paddle-like arms well-adapted for swimming. The carapace is heart shaped. The scutes of the carapace do not over lap. The upper jaw lacks a hook. The fore limbs bear only one claw.

Males
Narrower shells are present. Longer and thicker tails are present which projects out of the rim of the carapace. Adult males are smaller than the females. Males on the other hand, are known to make the trip to their breeding areas every year.

Length
Adult green turtles are known to grow to 5 feet (1.5 m) long.

Weight
While individuals have been caught that reached weights of up to 315 kilograms (695 lb), the average weight of mature individuals is around 200 kilograms (440 lb). The largest Chelonia mydas ever recorded weighed 395 kilograms (871 pounds)

Color
They are named as Green Turtle because of their fat underneath their shell giving them a green colour. The carapace of the turtle is known to have various color patterns that change over time. Hatchlings of these turtles have mostly black carapaces and light-colored plastrons. Carapaces of juveniles are dark brown to olive, while those of mature adults are entirely brown, spotted or marbled with variegated rays. Underneath, the turtle's plastron is hued yellow. Their limbs are dark-colored and lined with yellow, and are usually marked with a large dark brown spot in the center of each appendage.

Habitat
These adults are often found near shore Sea grass meadows within inshore bays, lagoons and shoals are common locations. But also found in the Open Ocean. This particular species is known to be very selective about their feeding and mating sites and entire generations will often alternately migrate between the same feeding and nesting areas. Green turtles migrate long distances between their chosen feeding sites and the beaches from where they hatched. Some of them are known to swim distances of greater than 2,600 kilometers to reach their spawning grounds. Mature turtles will often return to the same exact beach from which they hatched.
 
Breeding
The mating seasons vary between populations, taking place throughout the year. Individual female green turtles usually mate every 2-4 years. But there is an increase in January to March. Female turtles control mating; males cannot force females to mate. There is an increased survival among the hatchlings but only a few green turtle populations are known to undergo polyandry when mating.
After mating in the water, the females haul themselves onto the beach above the high tide line. Upon reaching a suitable nesting site, the gravid female digs a hole with her hind flippers and deposits a number of eggs in the nest & the number laid per litter depends on the age of the female. After laying eggs, the female covers the nest with sand and returns to the sea.
Eggs are soft shelled & spherical. Each nest contains 98-172 eggs measure 41.4-42.1mm. The hatchlings occur after 2 months of time. During a nesting season, one female can lay up to 11 nests. The eggs hatch during the night and the newly-emerged turtles instinctively head directly towards the water's edge. After hatching, turtles in their first five years are known to spend a majority of their early life stages in convergence zones within the open ocean.

Diet
Juveniles are pelagic & carnivorous consuming Crabs, mollusks, shrimp and jellyfish. Adults & immature juveniles are herbivorous & grazers consuming only on sea grass & see weeds.

Identification
Anatomically, there are a few characteristics that distinguish the green turtle from the other members of its family. Unlike the closely-related hawksbill turtle, the green turtle's snout is very short and its beak is unhooked. The horny sheath of the turtle's upper jaw possesses a slightly-denticulated edge while its lower jaw has stronger, serrated, more defined denticulation. The dorsal surface of the turtle's head has a single pair of prefrontal scales. Its carapace is composed of five central scutes flanked by four pairs of lateral scutes. Underneath, the green turtle has four pairs of infra-marginal scutes covering the area between the turtle's plastron and its shell. Mature C. mydas front appendages have only a single claw (as opposed to the hawksbill's two), although a second claw is sometimes prominent in young specimens.

Human impact & dangers
These turtles' populations are in danger because of several human practices. They are hunted for their flesh. Many turtles die as a result of being caught in fishermen's nets and drowning.  Their eggs are collected from nests and eaten as a delicacy. Pollution indirectly harms the turtle populations both on the population and the individual scale. Also, habitat loss occurs due to human development is a major reason for the loss of green turtle nesting beaches.

The most dangerous time in a turtle's life, is the hatchlings make their way to the water. Various predators such as gulls and crabs pick off many hatchlings. A significant percentage of them never make it to the ocean.

Conservation
This species is recognized as endangered by the IUCN and CITES, Chelonia mydas is protected from exploitation in most countries worldwide. It is illegal to collect, harm or kill individual turtles. In addition, many countries have implemented various laws and ordinances to protect individual turtles and turtle nesting areas within their jurisdiction.