Sea turtles nest only at their own birthplaces. After hatching on the beach, the turtles enter the water to begin their far-ranging migration, only returning to their birthplace to nest some 15 to 30 years later. It has been hypothesized that newborn sea turtles learn the smell of their environment, and it is this smell that stimulates the turtles to return to nest.

Which one of the following would be most important to know in evaluating the hypothesis in the passages?

(A) how long the expected life span of sea turtles
(B) what the maximum migration range of the sea turtles is
(C) whether many beaches on which sea turtles were hatched have since been destroyed by development
(D) before returning to the nest, sea turtles are outside the area where the smell of their birthplace would be perceptible
(E) whether both sex of sea turtles are actively involved in the nesting process