These two green sea turtles were trying to mate and even tho it was kinda funny to watch it was also quite intense at times. According to @live_science to mate, a male will climb onto a female's back while she is swimming horizontally in the water. On their front flippers, males have long claws, which they use to hook on to the leading edge of the female's shell — these claws are quite sharp and will often cut into the female's soft flesh near her shell. Male and female sea turtles have cloaca — waste and reproductive orifices — at the base of their tails, and the male's cloaca houses his penis. During mating, the male will reach his tail underneath the back end of the female's shell. His long penis, which can be almost half the length of his shell, will emerge from his cloaca to penetrate and inseminate the female's cloaca. . . . . . #natgeowild #matingturtles #seaturtle #greenseaturtle #mating #uwphotosociety #igersgreatbarrierreef #ocean #australiangeographic #oceanvirals (at The Great Barrier Reef) https://www.instagram.com/p/CIfb847gc4T/?igshid=jvscwmfk2293
