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According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a critically endangered species has an extremely high chance of disappearing in the wild. It is the last state before extinction. There are several species of sea and land turtles that are in this situation.
Therefore, at Ecologista Verde we want to help raise awareness of this problem by explaining everything there is to know about endangered turtles, the causes of this problem, which species are most at risk and how to help them.
Causes of the danger of extinction of turtles
The main cause of the great decline in its population is the exploitation of turtles by humans, because we collect their eggs or hunt them for meat or their shell. In recent times, new and terrible problems have been added: bycatch in longline fisheries, water pollution and the destruction of their habitats.
The sea turtleshave traditionally served as a source of food for local communities, but now have greater value for attract tourists who seek to know nature in its wild state, travelers who seek to dive in the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean with them. There are also thousands of people who visit nesting beaches to watch sea turtles spawn or when they hatch from their eggs. Therefore, sea turtles are a source of economic wealth for local communities, who should fight for their conservation.
The unconscious tourism causes great damage to a great variety of animal species, such as dolphins and turtles, as many of the tourists who go to the beaches when they hatch from the eggs decide to take them and take photos, something that is really bad for their development and many even die in those moments for this reason and not only because of the predators they encounter, such as seagulls.
What's more, poached in many countries to illegally sell their shells as decorative pieces or their meat and eggs as delicacies for the palate. The problem is that the damage that occurs is not measured and they are hunted in large quantities, so they do not have time to recover the population number and this decreases day by day.
Endangered or vulnerable turtle species
This is a list with some of the names of endangered turtles, but there are more species that are in this situation:
- Green turtle (Chelonia mydas)
- Bastard tortoise, parrot or parrot (Lepidochelys kempii)
- Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
- Leatherback or leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)
- Loggerhead or loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)
- Olive ridley or olive ridley tortoise (Lepidochelys olivacea)
- Striped box turtle (Cuora trifasciata)
- Four swamp turtle (Apalone ater)
- Shanghai softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei)
Conclusions and how we can help endangered turtles
Also, other turtles are in not so extreme danger. For example, in the Mediterranean Sea, several species live, but there are two species of sea turtles (Chelonia mydas Y Dermochelys coriacea) that are already in a vulnerable state and in danger of extinction globally but, at least for now, it is not critical. In this other article we will tell you much more about the Turtles of the Mediterranean Sea. Likewise, if you want to know a specific case of a rescue of a loggerhead turtle in the Mediterranean Sea and to the CRAM Foundation, which made it possible, do not miss the video that you will see in this link about the Rambo, the turtle without 2 fins that was rescued.
Sea turtles are one of the oldest living things on this planet. They have inhabited the Earth for 110 million years. Biologists believe that they survived the extinction of the dinosaurs. Will they be able to survive the human being?
If the coast and sea are in good condition, the turtles have a better chance of survival. Most species of sea turtles go to the Caribbean coast to lay their eggs. They not only spawn in America, but they move through marine corridors and enjoy large regions where they can feed.
Therefore, in order to help the turtles that are in danger of extinction it's necessary that:
- Take care of the oceans and seas, as well as the coasts and the land areas they inhabit.
- Avoid consuming products from them, be it their shells as decorative elements or their eggs or meat to eat, as this consumption is illegal in many countries and occurs through poaching, hunting and illegal trafficking.
- Another way to help them is to report to the police and associations that act in favor of these animals any illegal act of this type that we know or witness.
- Collaborating with these organizations that fight for the protection of these species is another way to help them.
Finally, we recommend that you learn more about these animals by reading this other article on How sea turtles reproduce. Also, in this video from TED en Español, you can see a short documentary with the simple explanation about endangered sea turtles.
If you want to read more articles similar to Endangered turtlesWe recommend that you enter our category of Endangered Animals.
