Sea Turtle Conservation
Courtney Lennon
Semester Assignment
Rough Draft
Sea Turtle Conservation
Introduction
Sea turtles are one of the Earth 's most ancient creatures, having appeared on earth millions of years before humans. The sea turtle 's shell, or "carapace" is streamlined for swimming through the water. Unlike other turtles, sea turtles cannot retract their legs and head into their shells. Their color varies between yellow, greenish and black depending on the species. Sea turtles are found in all warm and temperate waters throughout the world and migrate hundreds of miles between nesting and feeding grounds. Most sea turtles undergo long migrations, some as far as 1400 miles, between their feeding grounds and the beaches where they nest. Sea turtles once roamed the oceans by the millions, but over the past few centuries human activity as well as the demand for sea turtle meat, eggs, shell, leather and oil has greatly reduced their numbers.
There are seven species of sea turtles: Green, Kemp 's ridley, Olive ridley, Hawksbill, Leatherback, Flatback and Loggerhead. All except for the Flatback turtle are endangered or threatened and are protected under the Endangered Species Act. Leatherback turtles are critically endangered. According to “Animals on the Edge”, recent estimates suggest the global population may be as low as 34,000 nesting females. Also, it is suggested that Leatherbacks have disappeared completely from parts of their former range and numbers are falling so rapidly they could be extinct by 2030. The Hawksbill and Kemp’s ridley turtles are also listed as critically endangered. The endangered hawksbill, a relatively small turtle, has been hunted to the brink of extinction for its beautiful shell. Once fairly common in Florida, these turtles now nest here only rarely (Frazier, 1999). Animals on Edge, states that the number of nesting Kemp’s ridley females has declined from about 700 to a low of about 350 in 1989. Olive ridley, Green and Loggerhead sea turtles
Semester Assignment
Rough Draft
Sea Turtle Conservation
Introduction
Sea turtles are one of the Earth 's most ancient creatures, having appeared on earth millions of years before humans. The sea turtle 's shell, or "carapace" is streamlined for swimming through the water. Unlike other turtles, sea turtles cannot retract their legs and head into their shells. Their color varies between yellow, greenish and black depending on the species. Sea turtles are found in all warm and temperate waters throughout the world and migrate hundreds of miles between nesting and feeding grounds. Most sea turtles undergo long migrations, some as far as 1400 miles, between their feeding grounds and the beaches where they nest. Sea turtles once roamed the oceans by the millions, but over the past few centuries human activity as well as the demand for sea turtle meat, eggs, shell, leather and oil has greatly reduced their numbers.
There are seven species of sea turtles: Green, Kemp 's ridley, Olive ridley, Hawksbill, Leatherback, Flatback and Loggerhead. All except for the Flatback turtle are endangered or threatened and are protected under the Endangered Species Act. Leatherback turtles are critically endangered. According to “Animals on the Edge”, recent estimates suggest the global population may be as low as 34,000 nesting females. Also, it is suggested that Leatherbacks have disappeared completely from parts of their former range and numbers are falling so rapidly they could be extinct by 2030. The Hawksbill and Kemp’s ridley turtles are also listed as critically endangered. The endangered hawksbill, a relatively small turtle, has been hunted to the brink of extinction for its beautiful shell. Once fairly common in Florida, these turtles now nest here only rarely (Frazier, 1999). Animals on Edge, states that the number of nesting Kemp’s ridley females has declined from about 700 to a low of about 350 in 1989. Olive ridley, Green and Loggerhead sea turtles
References: "Animals on the Edge: Marine Turtles." Science & Nature: Animals. BBC, May 2007. Web. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/conservation/turtles/intro.shtml>. Barret, Christie, Jenny Holen, and Beth Karasz. "Biology and Conservation of Sea Turtles." Marine Discovery at the University of Arizona. 2000. Web. <http://marinediscovery.arizona.edu/lessonsF00/brittle_stars/2.html>. Frazier, Jack. "Why Save Sea Turtles?" Sea Turtles: Ambassadors of the Sea. SSC/IUCN Marine Turtle Specialist Group, 1999. Web. <http://nationalzoo.si.edu/SCBI/AquaticEcosystems/SeaTurtles/default.cfm>. National Research Council. Decline of the Sea Turtles: Causes and Prevention. Washington, D.C.: National Academy of Sciences, 1990. Print. "Oceana | Protecting the World 's Oceans." Species at Risk: Green Sea Turtle. Oceana, 2012. Web. <http://oceana.org/en/our-work/protect-marine-wildlife/sea-turtles/species-at- risk/green-sea-turtle>. "Strategies for Sea Turtle Conservation." The Japan Journal. The Japan Journal, Ltd, Oct. 2009. Web. <http://www.japanjournal.jp/tjje/show_art.php?INDyear=09>.