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Worldwide, hundreds of thousands of
Hawksbill turtles are characterized by a pointed beak that resembles that of a bird's. Typically, the turtles can have a shell length up to about 45 inches, and weigh around 150 pounds. The upper shell, also known as a carapace, is serrated with thick, overlapping plates. The elaborate patterned shells make them valuable in global trading markets. Located predominantly around tropical coral reefs, Hawksbills feed on small reef species such as sea sponges, anemones and jellyfish using their narrow beaks to reach crevices in the reef.
The green turtle, named for its green, fatty underside and cartilage, are significantly larger than the Hawksbill and can be recognized by a single pair of prefrontal scales . Green turtles average 3-4 feet in carapace length, and weigh between 240 and 420 pounds once fully grown. The diet of green turtles ranges throughout their lifetime, from small crustaceans and aquatic insects at a young age, to mainly sea grasses and algae as an adult. The turtles inhabit coastlines around islands and protected shores in both tropical and temperate climates.
Loggerhead turtles are named for their large heads that support powerful jaw muscles, allowing them to crush hard-shelled prey like clams and sea urchins. They are less likely to be hunted for their meat or shell compared to other sea turtles. Bycatch, the accidental capture of marine animals in fishing gear, is a serious problem for loggerhead turtles because they frequently come in contact with fisheries.
sea turtle
Sea turtles (superfamily Chelonioidea), sometimes called marine turtles, are reptiles of the order Testudines and of the suborder Cryptodira. The seven existing species of sea turtles are the flatback, green, hawksbill, leatherback, loggerhe ...
s a year are accidentally caught in shrimp trawl net
Trawling is a method of fishing that involves pulling a fishing net through the water behind one or more boats. The net used for trawling is called a trawl. This principle requires netting bags which are towed through water to catch different speci ...
s, on longline hooks and in fishing gill-nets. Sea turtles need to reach the surface to breathe, and therefore many drown once caught. Loggerhead and hawksbill turtle
The hawksbill sea turtle (''Eretmochelys imbricata'') is a critically endangered sea turtle belonging to the family Cheloniidae. It is the only extant species in the genus ''Eretmochelys''. The species has a global distribution, that is lar ...
s are particularly vulnerable. Nearly all species of sea turtle are classified as Endangered
An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and in ...
. They are killed for their eggs, meat, skin and shells. They also face habitat destruction
Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby ...
. Climate change
In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to ...
has an impact on turtle nesting sites. As fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...
activity expands, this threat is more of a problem.
Endangered Species Act
The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA; 16 U.S.C. § 1531 et seq.) is one of the dozens of US environmental laws passed in the 1970s, and serves as the enacting legislation to carry out the provisions outlined in The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Designed to protect critically imperiled species from extinction, it was signed into law by President Richard Nixon on December 28, 1973. The U.S. Supreme Court found that "the plain intent of Congress in enacting" the ESA "was to halt and reverse the trend toward species extinction, whatever the cost." The Act is administered by two federal agencies, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).Endangered marine turtles
Hawksbill turtles are characterized by a pointed beak that resembles that of a bird's. Typically, the turtles can have a shell length up to about 45 inches, and weigh around 150 pounds. The upper shell, also known as a carapace, is serrated with thick, overlapping plates. The elaborate patterned shells make them valuable in global trading markets. Located predominantly around tropical coral reefs, Hawksbills feed on small reef species such as sea sponges, anemones and jellyfish using their narrow beaks to reach crevices in the reef.
The green turtle, named for its green, fatty underside and cartilage, are significantly larger than the Hawksbill and can be recognized by a single pair of prefrontal scales . Green turtles average 3-4 feet in carapace length, and weigh between 240 and 420 pounds once fully grown. The diet of green turtles ranges throughout their lifetime, from small crustaceans and aquatic insects at a young age, to mainly sea grasses and algae as an adult. The turtles inhabit coastlines around islands and protected shores in both tropical and temperate climates.
Loggerhead turtles are named for their large heads that support powerful jaw muscles, allowing them to crush hard-shelled prey like clams and sea urchins. They are less likely to be hunted for their meat or shell compared to other sea turtles. Bycatch, the accidental capture of marine animals in fishing gear, is a serious problem for loggerhead turtles because they frequently come in contact with fisheries.
Threats
Worldwide, hundreds of thousands of sea turtles a year are accidentally caught in shrimp trawl nets, on longline hooks and in fishing gillnets—a threat known as bycatch. Sea turtles need to reach the surface to breathe, and therefore many drown once caught. Loggerheads are highly migratory and are very likely to come in contact with a fishery, particularly in shrimp gill nets and long lines. Climate change, also called global warming, refers to the rise in average surface temperatures on Earth. An overwhelming scientific consensus maintains that climate change is due primarily to the human use of fossil fuels, which releases carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the air. The gases trap heat within the atmosphere, which can have a range of effects on ecosystems, includingrising sea levels
Rising may refer to:
* Rising, a stage in baking - see Proofing (baking technique)
*Elevation
* Short for Uprising, a rebellion
Film and TV
* "Rising" (''Stargate Atlantis''), the series premiere of the science fiction television program ''Starga ...
, severe weather events, and droughts that render landscapes more susceptible to wildfires.
Overfishing
Human activities have tipped the scales against the survival of these ancient mariners. Nearly all species of sea turtle are classified as Endangered. Slaughtered for their eggs, meat, skin, and shells, sea turtles suffer from poaching and over-exploitation. They also face habitat destruction and accidental capture in fishing gear. Climate change has an impact on turtle nesting sites. It alters sand temperatures, which then affects the sex of hatchlings. Hawksbills are particularly vulnerable to bycatch, this is a serious threat to hawksbill turtles. As fishing activity expands, this threat is more of a problem.References
{{reflist Endangered species Sea turtles Turtle conservation .