Saving the Sea Turtles: What You Need to Know

Why Do Sea Turtles Need Our Help?

I met a passionate sea turtle conservationist recently and I realized how little I knew about the issues threatening these incredible creatures. Like many, I’ve admired them in the water and knew they must play an important role in ocean ecosystems, but it wasn’t until this conversation that I understood the extent of the challenges they face and how important they are.

Sea turtles are ancient survivors, having roamed the oceans for over 100 million years, yet today they are struggling to survive. I have to admit I thought maybe we are trying too hard to protect these creatures that may be going extinct on their own. However, their battle for survival has more to do with human impact than with their own adaptability.

Are Turtles Well Evolved to Survive?

Sea turtles are actually well-adapted to life in the ocean. They've survived for millions of years through natural challenges such as predators and environmental changes. They have unique biological features like long lifespans, the ability to travel thousands of miles across the ocean, and a remarkable capacity to navigate back to the beaches where they were born to nest. Sea turtles can hold their breath for extended periods while resting or sleeping — some species, like green sea turtles, can remain underwater for up to five hours without needing to surface. Hatchlings face significant challenges: only about 1 in 1,000 sea turtle hatchlings will survive to adulthood due to predation, Coyotes, dogs, crabs, and ants often raid nests, while birds, crabs, and fish prey on hatchlings during their journey to the sea.

Once in the ocean, young turtles continue to face predators the few that survive to adulthood are generally safe by relying on their hard shells as armor, and their large size and swift swimming help them evade many predators, although they occasionally fall prey to sharks or orcas. However, no species can evolve quickly enough to keep up with the rapid changes humans have caused in the last century.

Are Humans the Problem?

The answer, overwhelmingly, is YES. Sea turtles are not struggling due to a lack of evolutionary fitness but because of human interference. From the moment they hatch, sea turtles face a host of predators. However, it is not natural predators but human-caused threats that pose the greatest danger to sea turtles today. There are seven species of sea turtles, and all of them are on the endangered species list. Some sub populations are already locally extinct in some parts of the world due to over exploitation and egg harvesting. Some of the key threats to their survival include:

• Harvest for Consumption: Despite their spiritual significance in many cultures, sea turtles are hunted for their eggs and meat, particularly in Central America and Asia. In some areas, poachers wait until a female turtle has laid her eggs, then kill her to take both the eggs and meat. Even though many countries have laws prohibiting this practice, enforcement is often weak, and illegal harvesting remains rampant.
  
  
• Illegal Shell Trade: The hawksbill sea turtle, prized for its beautifully patterned shell, has been hunted nearly to extinction. Despite being critically endangered, the demand for hawksbill shells continues on the black market, often through unwitting tourists who buy illegal turtle products. In the U.S. and many other countries, it is illegal to buy, sell, or import any sea turtle products.
  
  
• Habitat destruction: Coastal development has damaged or destroyed many of the beaches where sea turtles lay their eggs. Structures like seawalls and sandbags built to protect beachfront properties can destroy or reduce nesting habitats, forcing turtles to nest in less optimal areas. Beach erosion, caused by rising sea levels and stronger storms, further threatens nesting sites.
  
  
• Artificial Lighting: Sea turtles depend on dark, quiet beaches for nesting, but coastal development has introduced artificial lighting that disorients both adult turtles and hatchlings. Many hatchlings wander inland, where they often die from dehydration, predation, or being struck by vehicles.
  
  
• Beach Driving: Driving on beaches, whether during the day or night, can have harmful effects on sea turtles. At night, vehicles can disturb nesting females, disorient hatchlings emerging from their nests, and even crush them as they make their way to the ocean. The tire tracks left behind also pose a hazard, slowing hatchlings down and increasing their vulnerability to predators. Daytime driving can lead to sand compaction above turtle nests, reducing the chances of successful hatching. Additionally, beach driving accelerates erosion, particularly during high tides or on narrow shores.
  
  
• Invasive Species Predation: Domesticated animals such as dogs and cats may not be part of the natural coastal ecosystem, but they have become some of the most harmful invasive species to sea turtles. Pets left unsupervised on beaches can dig up nests, consume eggs, and even attack hatchlings or nesting females. In some cases, dogs have been known to disturb female sea turtles as they are laying eggs, leading the turtles to abandon their nests prematurely. Cats, being natural hunters, are especially dangerous to hatchlings, which are defenseless and slow-moving as they make their way to the ocean. In regions like Florida and other coastal areas with heavy urban development, non-native mammals such as wild boars and mongooses have begun to encroach on sea turtle nesting grounds.
  
  
• Fishing bycatch: Each year, hundreds of thousands of sea turtles are accidentally caught in fishing nets. Trawls, longlines, and gillnets are particularly dangerous, with estimates suggesting that 150,000 turtles die annually in shrimp trawls alone. Although Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) have been developed to reduce turtle deaths, compliance is inconsistent, and many turtles continue to drown.
  
  
• Pollution and marine debris: Over a million marine animals, including sea turtles, die annually due to plastic debris in the ocean. Sea turtles often mistake plastic bags for jellyfish and consume them, leading to fatal consequences. Entanglement in discarded fishing gear and other debris can also result in injury or death.
  
  
• Climate change: Rising global temperatures affect turtles in several ways. Warmer sand on nesting beaches can skew the sex ratio of hatchlings toward females, while rising sea levels can erode these critical nesting habitats. Additionally, changing ocean currents and temperatures can alter their migratory patterns and food availability.|
  
  

Why Are Turtles Important to the Marine Environment?

Sea turtles play a crucial role in maintaining healthy ocean ecosystems. Here’s why they’re vital:

• Seagrass Beds: Sea turtles, particularly green sea turtles, graze on seagrass beds. This grazing helps keep seagrass short and healthy, promoting the growth of new blades and ensuring the ecosystem remains balanced. Healthy seagrass beds are essential for numerous marine species, including fish, crustaceans, and shellfish, which rely on these habitats for food and shelter.
  
  
• Coral Reefs: Hawksbill turtles feed on sponges, which compete with corals for space on the reef. By controlling sponge populations, hawksbill turtles help maintain the balance of coral reef ecosystems, allowing corals to thrive and support a wide variety of marine life.
  
  
• Nutrient Cycling: When sea turtles nest, they transport nutrients from the ocean to beaches, enriching coastal ecosystems. Their eggs provide nutrients for plants and animals in beach ecosystems. Without turtles, some of these ecosystems would struggle to thrive.
  
  
• Jellyfish Population Control: Leatherback turtles feed primarily on jellyfish. By controlling jellyfish populations, they help maintain the balance of species within the marine food web. An overabundance of jellyfish can disrupt ecosystems and harm fish stocks, which humans rely on.
  
  
• Marine Food Web: Sea turtles are a key species in the marine food web. As both predators and prey, they maintain the health of other species populations. Their presence influences the distribution and behavior of other marine animals, including sharks, fish, and birds.
  
  
• An indicator Species: It’s not just about Sea turtles, but paying attention to the health of sea turtles is an indicator to the health of the entire ecosystem. If sea turtles are doing poorly then it’s a clue to look further into many other species that are less noticeably having the same issues.
  
  

What Can We Do to Help?

Learning about the threats sea turtles face is the first step, but action is needed. Here are some simple ways we can contribute to their conservation:

• Reduce Plastic Use: One of the most effective ways to protect sea turtles is to reduce plastic waste. By using reusable bags, bottles, and straws, and properly disposing of plastic waste, we can help keep the oceans clean and safer for turtles.
  
  
• Participate in Beach Cleanups: Volunteering for beach cleanups or simply picking up trash when you visit the shore helps create a safer environment for turtles.
  
  
• Avoid Using Artificial Light Near Beaches: If you live near a turtle nesting beach, use turtle-friendly lighting, shield lights from the beach, or turn them off during nesting season to minimize disruption.
  
  
• Respect Turtle Nesting Areas: When visiting turtle nesting beaches, keep your distance from marked nests and avoid disturbing the sand. Refrain from driving or setting up camp on these areas, as heavy foot traffic or vehicles can damage nests and compact the sand, making it harder for hatchlings to emerge. Additionally, keep your dog or cat on a leash, as pets can unintentionally dig up nests or disturb both nesting turtles and hatchlings.
  
  
• Reduce Carbon Footprint: Climate change affects sea turtles by altering sand temperatures, which can influence the gender of hatchlings, and by causing sea level rise that can wash away nesting beaches. Reducing energy consumption, using renewable resources, and supporting climate-conscious initiatives can help slow these changes and protect sea turtle habitats.
  
  
• Support Turtle Conservation Programs: Many organizations work to protect sea turtles through conservation, research, and rehabilitation. Supporting these organizations through donations, adopting a sea turtle, or volunteering can make a direct impact on turtle populations.
  
  
• Spread Awareness: Educating others about the importance of sea turtles and the threats they face is crucial for their survival. Use social media, organize community events, or simply talk to friends and family about the steps they can take to help protect turtles.

Sea turtles have outlasted the dinosaurs, but they’re now at risk of disappearing due to human actions. With awareness and a collective effort, we can give them a fighting chance. These creatures are more than just beautiful to watch — they’re a keystone species, vital to the health of marine ecosystems. Saving them means saving our oceans, and ultimately, saving ourselves.