Sea Turtle Swallowing a Pale Jellyfish

A sea turtle fills the upper right of the frame, seen from the side as it feeds on a large, pale jellyfish in open blue water. Its head is angled downward, and the scales on its face form a dark, honeycomb-like pattern against warm brown and amber skin. The jellyfish hangs below, with a translucent cream bell edged in rust-brown and a thick column of tissue rising into the turtle's beak. Light ripples across the surface at the top of the picture, while the water deepens from bright cyan to a soft, even blue. The mood is calm and quiet, and the open water leaves plenty of empty space around the animals.

Green sea turtles, Chelonia mydas, live in tropical and subtropical seas around the world. Juveniles eat a mixed diet that often includes jellyfish and other soft-bodied animals, while adults feed mostly on seagrass and algae, which is unusual among sea turtles. The Whitsundays, off the Queensland coast, sit within the Great Barrier Reef region, where the species is regularly seen. This landscape image suits desktop monitors and laptops best. The blue negative space on the left leaves room for icons, and the turtle's detailed texture holds up on larger displays.

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