Today is World Sea Turtle Day!
Today is an especially important day, given that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act and all six species of sea turtles that inhabit U.S. waters are endangered.
There are many threats to sea turtle’s population decline;
Climate Change:
1. As sea turtles make their nests in beach sands, the temperature of sand determines the sex of the offspring. Warmer sand temperatures increase the number of female offspring. A shortage of male offspring may lead to decreased genetic diversity and threaten their survival.
2. With sea levels rising, this can lead to flooding of nests or washing away of nest sites.
Fishing gear and marine debri:
1. Fishing hooks, lines, nets can injure or kill sea turtles due to entanglement.
2. Turtles can get accustomed to the tastes of fish used for bait, increasing the risk of them getting stuck on a fishing hook.
3. Plastic debri that is left on the beach, ends up in the ocean where sea turtles and other marine life mistake it for food and digest it, which can lead to lacerations, infections and can die of starvation when their stomachs are filled with plastic.
There are many ways we can help sea turtles have a future and it starts right at home. To learn how, go to;
https://www.seeturtles.org/save-the-turtles
Photo by Jeremiah Del Mar
