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5 Threats to Sea Turtle Survival

5 Threats to Sea Turtle Survival

Written by Leisure Pro Staff
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Published on July 19, 2017
sea turtle on ocean floor

Nearly all species of sea turtles are considered endangered and are facing the risk of becoming completely extinct within a few decades if their treatment doesn’t change. There are many threats to sea turtle survival, both natural and man-made, but here are just five that are totally within human control.

baby sea turtles on sandy beach
Photo by David Reynolds on Unsplash

Biggest Threats to Sea Turtle Survival

Climate Change

Sea turtles are but one species immediately affected by climate change. Climate change can dramatically alter natural environments, causing disruption in feeding and breeding cycles. Melting polar ice caps contribute to sea level rise, which can erode or even swallow beaches where sea turtles lay their eggs. Storms of increased intensity also destroy vital sea turtle nesting grounds, obliterating the next generation before it ever sees the light of day.

Illegal Poaching

There are laws which protect sea turtles in almost every country; however, the illegal trade of eggs, meat, and shells are ongoing threats to sea turtle survival. All seven species of sea turtle are classified as endangered because of continuous poaching. In many countries, sea turtles are harvested for consumption of their meat and eggs, while shells and hides of sea turtles are used to make jewelry, tourist trinkets, sunglasses, and decorative art. Even though there are laws against sea turtle poaching in many areas, it is not common to see them actually enforced, especially in poorer regions where their trade is a sole source of income.

Ocean Pollution

Oceanic oil spills are an infinite threat to sea turtle survival, causing immediate harm through direct contact. Toxic metals, agricultural and industrial runoff, chemicals, and untreated waste are also ever-present threats in the sea turtle’s environment. These pollutants build up in the tissues of sea turtles over time, leading to immunosuppression, disease, and death.

Marine Debris

Hundreds of thousands of ocean animals die every year due to marine debris. Manmade waste is deposited in rivers, oceans, and waterways, where marine animals either ingest or become entangled to their ultimate demise. Dead sea turtles are more often being found with plastic bags in their stomach, which they all too easily mistake for their primary prey food: jellyfish. Plastic straws are also the perfect size to insert and become embedded in sea turtle nostrils, no doubt contributing to a painful existence.

Coastal Development

Construction of homes, hotels, restaurants, and roads in coastal areas is steadily increasing, endangering millions of species, including sea turtles. These constructions cause beach erosion and pollution, which work together quickly to destroy sea turtle habitats. Sexually mature sea turtles always return to the same beach where they originally hatched. With the addition of more people, furniture, and other objects, sea turtles find themselves pushed out of their ancestral homes, creating an imbalance in a once-perfect ecosystem.

Leisure Pro Staff

Leisure Pro Staff

Marketing Director for LeisurePro