How do genes tell a baby turtle to follow the moon to the ocean after birth?

Question

How do genes tell a baby turtle to follow the moon to the ocean after birth?

In: Biology

Answer 1

The instinct they have is “move toward the light”. When they hatch the moon shines off the ocean and that direction is brighter than the darkness of plants and dunes at night. The light is attractive and they move toward it. Moving toward light is one of the simplest possible instincts, even plants can do it…heck even some single cell organisms do it.