Analysis of why sea turtles swim slowly: a metabolic and mechanical approach

ABSTRACT Animals with high resting metabolic rates and low drag coefficients typically have fast optimal swim speeds in order to minimise energy costs per unit travel distance. The cruising of sea turtles (0.5–0.6 m s−1) are slower than those seabirds marine mammals (1–2 s−1). This study measured the answer two questions: (1) do at speed?; (2) what factors control speed turtles? 13 loggerhead 12 green were measured; then, 15 9 their estimated under natural conditions. (0.27–0.50 agreed predicted (0.19–0.32 approximately one-twentieth penguins, products coefficient frontal area 8.6 times higher penguins. Therefore, our results suggest that both rate determine slow speed.