Table of Contents
How can we prevent turtle extinction?
URGENT CONSERVATION EFFORTS
- Monitor and patrol nesting beaches to minimise the poaching of turtle eggs.
- Patrol turtle foraging grounds to prevent poaching.
- Conduct research to understand marine turtle habitats and biology, as well as the effects of climate change, to enhance conservation efforts.
Why is it important to save the loggerhead sea turtles?
All sea turtles contribute to the health of beaches and the stability of the shorelines they nest on. Their eggs help to provide needed nutrients to the sand. These nutrients promote the growth of vegetation, which in turn helps to stabilize the shoreline. Their eggs also act as a food source for predators.
Can you touch a loggerhead turtle?
“No Touchy!” It’s against the law to touch or disturb nesting sea turtles, hatchlings, or their nests. Human contact can be an unnecessary source of stress to the nesting females. In addition, unwanted bacterial exchange can occur between humans and turtles.
How can we save the turtles?
What Can You Do to Protect Sea Turtle Habitat?
- Reduce marine debris that may entangle or be accidentally eaten by sea turtles.
- Participate in coastal clean-ups and reduce plastic use to keep our beaches and ocean clean.
- Carry reusable water bottles and shopping bags.
- Keep nesting beaches dark and safe for sea turtles.
What is the Save the Turtles campaign?
Save the Turtles is a grassroots, all-volunteer non-profit that has been saving endangered sea turtles since 2001. We raise money to pay the salaries of community-based turtle patrollers. Nearly all monies raised goes to direct protection of sea turtles.
How did save the turtles start?
STC was founded in 1959 by Mr. Joshua B. Powers in response to renowned ecologist Dr. Archie Carr’s award-winning book, The Windward Road, which first alerted the world to the plight of sea turtles.
Is it OK to touch a sea turtle?
It is illegal to touch or harass sea turtles as they are all protected by the Endangered Species Act. NOAA advises that people keep a distance of at least 10 feet for sea turtles and 50 feet for seals.
Is it illegal to touch a sea turtle in Bahamas?
Don’t Touch Them Aside from it just not being polite, it is also illegal (in the Virgin Islands and many other areas) to touch a sea turtle under the protection of the Endangered Species Act.
Why should we save sea turtles?
What we do know is that sea turtles—even at diminished population levels—play an important role in ocean ecosystems by maintaining healthy seagrass beds and coral reefs, providing key habitat for other marine life, helping to balance marine food webs and facilitating nutrient cycling from water to land.
How is bycatch of loggerhead sea turtles being reduced?
Bycatch of loggerhead turtles (accidental capture by commercial and sport fishermen) is being reduced by fishing gear modifications (such as the use of TEDs, or turtle exclusion devices), changes to fishing practices, and closures of certain areas to fishing during nesting and hatching seasons.
Where do loggerhead sea turtles lay their eggs?
Loggerhead turtles, like all sea turtles, are marine reptiles and must come to the surface to breathe air. Adult female sea turtles return to land to lay their eggs in the sand—they are remarkable navigators and usually return to a beach in the general area where they hatched decades earlier.
Is the loggerhead turtle protected in any country?
Presently, loggerhead turtles are protected in many countries where they occur, but in some places, the killing of loggerheads and collection of eggs continue to be a threat. Increasing pollution of nearshore and offshore marine habitats threatens all sea turtles.
What should I do if I catch a sea turtle?
Use barbless circle hooks. Recycle fishing line and discard your trash on shore in trash receptacles. Change fishing location if sea turtles are in the area and show interest in your bait or catch. Don’t cast your line if a sea turtle is in the area.