Previously classified as endangered, the green sea turtle is the largest sea turtle and is named for its green cartilage and shell. Green turtles are found in tropical waters, around the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Ocean. The recent decline in population is often attributed to the loss of habitat due to human activities disrupting nesting on beaches. The high rates of accidental capture in deep sea fishing nets and the rise in hunting sea turtles for illegal trade continue to threaten further progress in reinstating numbers.
In a press release by the IUCN, Roderic Mast, Co-Chair of IUCN’s Species Survival Commission Marine Turtle Specialist Group stated: “The ongoing global recovery of the green turtle is a powerful example of what coordinated global conservation over decades can achieve to stabilise and even restore populations of long-lived marine species. Such approaches must focus not only on the turtles, but on keeping their habitats healthy, and their ecological functions intact.”
Sea turtles are a keystone species; their survival is integral to the structure and function of tropical marine ecosystems.
Since the 1970s, the green sea turtle population has increased by approximately 28% as a result of conservation efforts and innovative ways to track subpopulations. Sea turtles are a keystone species; their survival is integral to the structure and function of tropical marine ecosystems.
Projects such as Billion Baby Turtles raise funds to support sea turtle conservation research and conservation programs in addition to saving more than 20 million hatchlings at nesting beaches around the world. These efforts have supported more than 1000 jobs in rural coastal communities around the world, highlighting the effect conservation has on local economies and tourism.
The WWF reports an astounding 417% increase in turtle population in Tortuguero between 1971 and 2003
On the lush shores of Costa Rica’s Tortuguero National Park, lies one of the largest nesting sites of green sea turtles. The WWF reports an astounding 417% increase in turtle population in Tortuguero between 1971 and 2003, an indicator of the efforts to protect nesting mothers and monitor nesting patterns in this region.
Turtle Watch Rakawa in Sri Lanka is another example of engaging local communities in conservation efforts. This project trains locals who once relied on turtle poaching as a source of income, as ‘nest protectors’. In addition to this, the project generates revenue through ecotourism and educational programs to fund its conservation efforts.
In response to illegal turtle use and trading, conservationists have turned to technology to track and identify at-risk turtle populations. ShellBank is a global database of turtle DNA that enables the identification and tracking of subpopulations and migration patterns through genetic profiling. The open-source database has the ability to aid geneticists, conservationists and law enforcement in safeguarding turtle populations and their habitats.
From satellite technology to community led initiatives, global conservation efforts have proved to us yet again that we are capable of change. The reclassification of the green sea turtle has paved the way for future efforts to bring back other endangered species, bringing balance to our ecosystems.