Newly hatched sea turtles are famous for racing into the ocean: flopping from their nests, down the sand and into the safety of the sea.

But a new study says they might not make it that far for much longer and says rising sea levels could pose more of a threat to the little critters than their sandy scramble.

Green sea turtles might not hatch at all if sea levels continue to rise. Credit:David Pike

The research, published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, found that rising sea levels could threaten the viability of turtle eggs and lower the number of baby turtles successfully hatched.

It analysed one of the largest green turtle populations in the world, on Raine Island near the outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef.