Sea Turtle Conservation Efforts

By Raul Nordstrom

Sea turtle conservation can be an effort of widespread interest among conservationists, especially since a great number of species are presently under threat by habitat loss or diminishing resources such as food and nesting areas. Turtles which are not under threat by lack of habitat or food often face commercial exploitation by humans who poach turtles for their meat or harvest their eggs as a delicacy. Sea turtles are crucial to the ecosystem because they’re natural predators of many species of jellyfish, which can help keep exploding populations manageable. Natural oceanic ecosystems suffer damage via the rapid decline in sea turtle populations.

One common problem with turtle populations is pollution, especially among olive ridley sea turtles that feed on jellyfish, since plastic debris looks like jellyfish and lead turtles to consume them accidentally. Consumption of plastic frequently causes malabsorption, meaning despite a normal diet turtles will suffer from malnutrition as they cannot absorb essential vitamins, minerals or proteins. Another issue is intestinal blockage, which can lead to fast death. Small olive ridley turtles may strangulate on plastic debris and die immediately, while larger adults will ingest the plastic whole. Most conservation groups agree that pollution needs to stay in check and make an effort to keep garbage, debris and chemicals out of the oceans for the sake of turtles and other wildlife.

Another problem is natural predation exacerbated by imbalanced ecosystems. Leatherback turtles notably are independent and have no real predators as adults, but juveniles are very small and unprotected by their parents. They hatch independently and enter in the ocean, where they become prey for large fish and invertebrates. Some never even make it to the ocean, instead becoming prey for shore crustaceans and birds while they are still on the sand. Conservationists agree that healthier populations of leatherbacks along with more normally distributed predators would cause a higher survival rate for young leatherbacks.

Conservation initiatives are varied and some of the most common include tagging individuals and tracking them by satellite. This is most frequently performed on critically endangered species to ensure that healthy breeding individuals remain healthy. Tracking adult females can help monitor where they lay eggs so that poachers and predators can be discouraged and future breeding encouraged. Relocation is also a potential solution to population issues, especially where a disproportionate number of predators exist. Additionally, ecotourism helps individual species and populations to become understood by the general public, making it easier to help prevent population decline.

Measuring the effectiveness of various conservation efforts is quite a challenge. Often populations are estimated through the reporting and recording of nesting sites. While this does not give researchers an exact number, it can be measured and compared to previous year’s data. It is not the most precise gauge but it is the best method we currently have and is our best bet for saving sea turtles for future generations.

Visit turtle facts for more about sea turtles.

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