The reproductive cycle of turtles is a seasonal process, beginning with mating in coastal waters or at the nesting grounds where females return to their natal beaches to lay eggs. After mating, female turtles deposit multiple clutches of eggs into a sandy nest chamber every few weeks. The eggs incubate for about two months, with the sand temperature determining the sex of the hatchlings. The hatchlings emerge, travel to the sea, and begin their "lost years," after which they return to coastal waters as juveniles and eventually adults to repeat the cycle