There are seven species of sea turtles around the globe. Of those seven species, six are already on the endangered species list. Two of those six—the Kemp’s Ridley and Hawksbill sea turtles—are critically endangered. That means time is running out to save them from extinction.
Throughout the 20th century, sea turtle populations began to plummet due to human activities. This loss has had a devastating impact on oceanic ecosystems. A keystone species, sea turtles are vital to the health of our oceans and coastlines. Their grazing habits prevent the overgrowth of seagrass, and certain species of sea turtles also prevent the overpopulation of jellyfish and sponges. With their sturdy shells, they also provide habitat and transportation for barnacles and algae and shelter for smaller prey fish.
The entire ocean would suffer from the loss of the sea turtle.
Conservationists are now racing to save sea turtles and their ecosystems—but hope isn’t lost just yet. Every day, we’re making great strides in the rescue, rehabilitation, and monitoring of sea turtle populations.
Monofilament fishing line is the most common line used by fishermen. It’s cost-effective, strong—and made of synthetic nylon that sea turtles can easily ingest or become entangled in. Because monofilament line is virtually invisible in the water, sea turtles can easily become trapped in it, leading to cuts, infections, drowning, and the loss of flippers. Its durability also creates another problem: a monofilament fishing line can stay in the water for hundreds of years if not properly removed.
Sea turtles have excellent vision, but they’ve adapted to detect brightness. When they’re returning to the sea, the brightness of moonlight glimmering on the ocean helps them to navigate. When it’s time to nest, sea turtles do the opposite, searching for the darkness of beaches.
Light pollution, caused by streetlights, ports, oil rigs, urban development, and fishing boats, can disrupt their natural navigation.
Nesting female sea turtles are often disoriented by the lights from development along the shoreline. They may select a more dangerous area or abandon their attempt to nest altogether. Sometimes, nesting sea turtles become so confused that they just keep walking. These turtles end up in dangerous areas like roads and parking lots.
Light pollution also causes hatchlings to lose their way when its time for them to make the trek to the sea. Without being able to rely solely on the bright light of the moon, they move inland instead.
A plastic bag, transparent and floating in the ocean, might easily resemble a jellyfish to a sea turtle. Likewise, plastic that has been in the ocean for a long time can accumulate algae and bacteria. The smell it omits mimics that of actual sea turtle prey, leading sea turtles to ingest it unknowingly.
Eating plastic can cause damage to a sea turtle’s intestines and cause blockages, which prevents them from being able to swallow and digest food. After eating plastic, sea turtles can also believe they are full and forgo eating food with the nutrients necessary for their survival.
In the long-term, plastic ingestion can lead to reproductive issues for already vulnerable sea turtle populations. The toxic chemicals from plastic can reduce reproductive rates in adults and cause growth and development issues in hatchlings.
With the recent rollback of endangered species protections in the Gulf of Mexico, sea turtles are at an increased risk of being harmed in boat strikes—the main threat to sea turtle populations.
Sea turtles are uniquely vulnerable to boat strikes because they must regularly surface to breathe air. They spend a lot of time on the surface feeding, mating, and moving ashore to make their nests, but their slow speed and poor senses make it difficult to detect and avoid fast-moving boats. Collisions can result in damage to sea turtles from propellers, blunt-force trauma, and internal injuries if their shells are damaged.
Climate change is also playing a role in the reduction of sea turtle populations. Sand temperatures are increasing, and the temperature that sea turtle eggs are incubated at directly correlates to their sex. Warmer sand temperatures are causing more female sea turtles to be born, which will only exacerbate population issues in the long-run.
Warming waters have resulted in another deadly threat to sea turtles: cold-stunning. As a result of changing ocean temperatures, sea turtles are traveling farther north in the summer, making it less likely they’ll be able to complete their migration south before winter arrives. Once the water temperature drops below 50 degrees, sea turtles can become paralyzed and ill.
Some important nesting beaches and feeding habitats have already been lost to human development. Coastal infrastructure, along with the degradation and erosion of their habitats have resulted in the loss of both foraging and nesting areas for sea turtles.
Signs that a sea turtle needs help could include:
Saving a sea turtle’s life is a matter of expediency. If you suspect a sea turtle needs rescuing, you should immediately contact a professional who is trained in turtle care. You can contact your local stranding network or the state wildlife agency.
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When sea turtles are brought to rehabilitation centers to be treated for cold-stunning or injuries, they first undergo a rigorous examination process. They are assigned an ID, weighed, tested and diagnosed, and then put on a long-term treatment plan.
Treatment for entanglement and ingestion injuries can involve basic wound care or more advanced surgeries to remove plastic debris. In some cases, amputation of a limb is required if entanglement restricted a turtle’s blood flow.
Most sea turtles can be rehabilitated and returned to the ocean in a matter of months.
To determine a sea turtle’s readiness to return to the wild, aquarium staff run a series of tests to ensure the turtle can perform necessary tasks and functions on its own. A sea turtle’s behavior is monitored, it must pass a medical clearance, and its ability to dive and forage are assessed.
Release locations for rehabilitated sea turtles are carefully selected to give the turtles the best chance of survival. It’s important that sea turtles are not released in areas with a lot of predators, coastal development, light pollution, or boat traffic.
Before release, rehabilitated sea turtles are also tagged so they can be monitored.
Before sea turtles are released back into the ocean, scientists fix their shells with trackers so they can be closely monitored. These tracking devices are attached to the. Carapace of their shells using epoxy resin.
The data gathered from these trackers is vital to sea turtle conservation. Through tracking, we can better understand sea turtle migration patterns, how they interact with their environment, their diving behavior and activity levels, and how they are affected by a changing environment.
This information ultimately helps scientists discover which habitats are the most critical to sea turtles, and what threats are most dire.
Sea turtles travel astoundingly far. Through tracking and monitoring, their migratory paths have been uncovered. We’ve learned that they travel thousands of miles, and tracking data shows us exactly where they travel, where they forage, and where they nest. We can also see how factors like ocean currents and climate change impact their movement and behavior.
This tracking data also helps to inform marine protection policies. When sea turtles frequent specific habitats for foraging or nesting, those sites become conservation priorities. Likewise, scientists can deduce which areas pose the highest risk to sea turtles based on where injuries or fatalities occur.
Plastics can linger in the ocean for hundreds of years. That’s why community cleanup efforts and recycling programs are essential to saving our oceans and the animals that inhabit them.
Fishing line recycling programs can help keep monofilament line out of our oceans, along with reducing overall plastic waste. Removing additional trash from our beaches, like plastic bags, wrappers, and abandoned fishing gear can reduce additional threats to sea turtles, making community cleanup efforts essential to the continuation of their species.
Utilizing wildlife lighting in coastal communities can help prevent the effects of light population, resulting in more sea turtles hatched and more hatchlings reaching the ocean. There are three main components lighting needs to be considered turtle-safe.
Many local governments along the coast have passed codes and ordinances that regulate coastal lighting, especially during sea turtle nesting season.
Boaters, anglers, and beachgoers all have roles to play to protect sea turtles. One of the main ways that boaters can help prevent collisions with wildlife is by slowing down. We know that turtles are not the quickest animal; operating your boat at a slower speed allows turtles time to escape. Boaters can also use specialized equipment like propeller guards and polarized glasses to help them better sight turtles in the water.
To prevent deadly entanglement, anglers should properly recycle their monofilament line and stay alert. Losing or abandoning fishing gear can have disastrous consequences. Checking one’s bait frequently will also help prevent the accidental hooking of sea turtles.
If you aren’t a boater or an angler, there are still ways you can protect sea turtles every time you visit the beach. Don’t leave trash or belongings on the beach, keep a respectful distance from wildlife, avoid using flashlights or bright lights at night, and quickly seek help if you believe a sea turtle is in danger.
Sea turtles are endangered largely due to an increase in human activity and development along coastlines and in the ocean.
It is estimated that a sea turtle can live for 50 to 100 years.
There are seven species of sea turtle—Kemp’s Ridley, Loggerhead, Green, Olive Ridley, Leatherback, Hawksbill, and Flatback.
The biggest threats to sea turtles are coastal development, pollution, fisheries bycatch, boat strikes, and climate change.
Yes, sea turtles can be rehabilitated after suffering injuries due to entanglement.
There are many ways that you can get involved in conservation efforts to help save sea turtles. Rescue and rehabilitation organizations are often looking for donations and volunteers. By donating or signing up as a volunteer, you can help them clean up beaches and support injured turtles.
Another way you can directly get involved in the protection of sea turtles is through citizen science opportunities. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, for example, posts opportunities on their websites for regular citizens to report sea turtle sightings, log photos, and report plastic debris.
Similarly, you can reduce the amount of plastic you use and make a point of not contributing to light pollution while at the beach.
Every day, pollution, boat strikes, habitat loss, and the increasingly devastating impact of climate change threaten endangered sea turtles. But conservation efforts are working.
The responsibility of saving endangered species doesn’t just rest on scientists and wildlife organizations. There are ways individuals and communities can play their part too. From picking up trash on the beach to supporting wildlife organizations, you can join the fight to help save the sea turtles.
You can donate now to help rescue and rehabilitate injured sea turtles, clean up our oceans, and conserve vital habitat. Learn more about Greater Good Charities efforts to protect our planet here.