If you have been privileged enough to witness a sea turtle in the wild, you will have experienced the wave of wonder that arises from observing one of the ocean’s most famed creatures.

Scouring the reef with their beaks, sea turtles search for algae and crustaceans before paddle-like flippers beat a slow rhythm, ascending the water column to breach the ocean’s surface. On arrival, fresh air awaits, re-evoking their access to the underwater realm for the next several hours.

Whether you have had the opportunity to visit their natural habitat or observed them on TV narrated by David Attenborough, you are likely to have come away fascinated by the ocean-dwelling reptiles. Unfortunately, despite the affection they receive, six of the seven species of sea turtle are at risk of extinction. Threats to sea turtles are largely anthropogenic, with many becoming deceased due to entanglement in fishing lines, consumption of plastic and ongoing coastal development that alters nesting behaviour. Trade of sea turtles for their shell, meat and eggs continues despite being illegal while rising temperatures cause corals to bleach and nesting beaches to erode from rising sea levels.

Why Are Sea Turtles Important?

Having roamed the ocean for over 110 million years, sea turtles are one of the oldest creatures on our Earth. Scientists have awarded sea turtles the title of ‘keystone species’ due to the important role they play in the marine ecosystem. Through their dieting habits, important ecosystems such as coral reefs and seagrass beds are maintained while turtle-watching tourism generates income for coastal dwelling communities. Many indigenous cultures view them as ancestors that symbolise wisdom, longevity, and tranquillity. Losing any turtle species would result in negative implications for our beautiful planet.

The Seven Species Of Sea Turtle

Green sea turtle: Endangered.

Found in tropical and subtropical waters, the green turtle is the only herbivore among the different species. While enjoying their meal of choice, seagrass, adult green turtles help to keep the beds healthy with regular pruning. Seagrass beds provide habitat, food and nursery areas for many fish species and help to stabilise the ocean, decreasing erosion from wave action and storms – making green turtles equally as vital to the marine ecosystem. Green turtles are named for the greenish colour of their cartilage and fat, rather than their shells.

Hawksbill Sea Turtle. Source: Unsplash Photo by Olga Tsai. — Hawksbill Sea Turtle. Source: *Unsplash* Photo by Olga Tsai.

Hawksbill sea turtle: Critically endangered.

Inhabiting tropical reefs and lagoons, hawksbill turtles are identified from their tapered beak which resembles that of a raptor’s. Hawksbills are a target for hunters due to their beautiful shells which are used to make jewellery and other ‘tortoiseshell’ ornaments. Feeding exclusively on sponges and soft-bodied marine invertebrates, hawksbill turtles maintain coral reefs by preventing sponges from overgrowing and suffocating the slow-growing coral.

Leatherback sea turtle: Vulnerable

Leatherbacks are the largest species of sea turtle and the most prehistoric, tracing their evolutionary roots back to more than 100 million years. Leatherbacks are so-called due to their leather-like shell and travel lengthy migration distances, braving cold waters to find abundant populations of their favourite meal – jellyfish. As jellyfish prey on fish eggs, leatherbacks prevent jellyfish numbers from exploding and maintain healthy fish populations.

The Leatherback Project is a non-profit organisation dedicated to conserving the leatherback sea turtle by mitigating bycatch, reducing plastic pollution and combating climate change.

Loggerhead sea turtle: Vulnerable.

The Loggerhead’s name is owed to their large heads which support powerful jaws. Loggerheads are a wide-ranging species, inhabiting temperature, tropical and subtropical waters. With jaws designed to crush crustaceans, the Loggerhead is a carnivore feasting on fish and other marine animals. Similar to all species of sea turtle, the Loggerhead has salt glands that allow them to drink seawater, excrete the salt and suitably quench their thirst.

Kemp’s ridley sea turtle: Critically endangered.

Primarily found in the Gulf of Mexico, the Kemp’s ridley turtle is one of the smallest and most endangered species of sea turtle. Kemp’s ridleys are famous for nesting in large groups called arribada which means ‘arrival’ in Spanish – over 95% of Kemp’s ridleys are confirmed to nest at one arribada in Mexico. Unfortunately, due to threats to their nesting habitat, Kemp’s ridley turtles are at great risk of extinction.

Olive ridley sea turtle: Vulnerable.

The olive ridley turtle is named from its olive-green shell, which is heart-shaped in appearance. It is closely related to the Kemp’s ridley turtle and shares the same nesting ritual. The solitary turtles explore the open ocean before gathering in an arribada once a year to lay their eggs. The omnivorous olive ridley population is the most abundant of marine turtles, and yet, it is still in trouble.

The Olive Ridley Project is a team of scientists, veterinarians, conservationists, citizen scientists and volunteers dedicated to protecting sea turtles and their habitats.

Flatback sea turtle: Data deficient.

Previously listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), the IUCN requires further research into the abundance of the flatback to classify it. So-called due to their flat shell, the flatback turtle is known to nest only in remote Australia – with the remoteness of their habitat largely accounting for lack of research. The flatback is an omnivore feeding on jellies, seaweed, and crustaceans.

Apologies to those of you that have gotten this far only to realise that the seventh species of sea turtle may still be at risk of extinction. Fortunately, several fantastic organisations and their dedicated teams are working to change this.

How Can You Help?

1. Avoid buying seafood or research and encourage purchasing seafood from responsible companies. Hundreds of thousands of turtles are accidentally caught by shrimp trawl nets and longline fishing each year, with all species of turtle affected. Representatives of the Sea Turtle Conservancy regularly petition to protect endangered turtles at risk of becoming bycatch.

2. Do not buy souvenirs or other items made from critically endangered hawksbill shells. The tortoiseshell trade is the biggest threat to hawksbill turtles. When abroad, ask what souvenirs are made from and if in doubt, do not purchase. For advice on how to identify tortoise shell, head the non-profit SEE Turtle’s guide.

3. Reduce your carbon footprint. Climate change affects the health of coral reefs which are vital for hawksbill turtle survival. Rising temperatures also affect the sex of baby turtles, changing their population dynamics. By advocating for businesses and the government to lower their carbon emissions there is an opportunity to make a difference.

4. Say no to plastic and leave no trace when in nature. A recent study found that 52% of all sea turtles have ingested plastic and once 14 pieces of plastic are ingested there is a 50% chance of mortality. You can help by ensuring to discard rubbish in an appropriate place and avoid using disposable plastic bags, bottles and straws. The non-profit organisation, Plastic Oceans, introduces plastic reduction initiatives and educates locals on turtle conservation and sustainability in Mexico.

6. Join a sea turtle conservation tour. When it is safe to travel, organisations such as SEE Turtles and the Sea Turtle Conservancy, enable you to witness sea turtles nesting and baby turtles making their first trip to the ocean. Proceeds from your trip directly benefit sea turtle conservation and the local community.

7. Use sunscreen carefully. Chemicals such as ‘oxybenzone’ can damage coral reefs and pollute turtle habitat. Ensure your sunscreen is ‘reef friendly’ before applying.

8. Donate to a worthy cause. Donating to any of the organisations in this article will help in the mission to save the sea turtles. When working together we can help reduce threats to sea turtles so we can continue to share the planet with such incredible creatures.

Ellie Humphrys

Ellie is a graduate of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Science at UWE. After completing her degree, she travelled to the current-swept Komodo National Park where she became the dive centre's Social Media Manager and completed her Divemaster - an awe-inspiring experience filled with giant dancing manta rays and iridescent cuttlefish. Returning home, Ellie decided to continue her education by starting an MSc in Sustainability and Behaviour Change and finds passion in learning how to effectively communicate environmental issues to various audiences.

How We Can Help Save the Sea Turtle