Sea Turtles: Threats and Conservation Caylee Vick
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Sea Turtles: Threats and Conservation Caylee Vick Abstract Images from a National Geographic Threats by Humanity: Poaching Conservation Efforts: What are we doing to save article titled “Why Life Is So Tough Sea Turtles (Cheloniidae) are one of the world's most for Sea Turtles” Along with the threat that the environment has on sea them? ancient species existing today. Among the seven different turtles, there is also the threat that humans have on the sea Once the sea turtle population had reached a new low, http://news.nationalgeographic.com/ turtle population. Many countries have made it illegal to species of sea turtles, they have been around for nearly 2016/05/160514-animals-science- people began to realize that there needed to be something 110 million years, since the time the dinosaurs once sea-turtles-oceans/ hunt sea turtles but it is very rare that these laws are done in order to help protect the sea turtle species and roamed the earth. Sea turtles are found in warm waters followed which allows communities to continue to harm prevent them from reaching extinction. In the United across the globe and migrate hundreds of miles between these animals. Sea turtles are constantly hunted for their States, there was an act put into place called the their nesting and feeding grounds. Depending on the shell and skin. Their bright patterned shells are often used to Endangered Species Act (ESA) which gave the hawksbill, species their diet consists of both vegetation on that lives make jewelry, guitar picks and several other accessories. leatherback, Kemp’s ridley, and green turtle legal on the rocks and small organisms such as crabs making Sea turtle skin is also used to make leather that is often protection in United States waters. Under this act, it made them omnivores. Population is something that is hard for turned into boots, belts, and wallets. luckily , here in the it illegal to harm, harass, or kill any sea turtles, scientist to track because males and juveniles do not return United States it is illegal to buy, sell, or have products made hatchlings, or their eggs. This act also made importing, to the shore once they hatch and begin their lives in the of these materials in your possession. selling, and transporting turtles, against the law. The ocean. This is an image of a over National Marine Fisheries Service is responsible for sea Breeding 350 sea turtles that were turtles while in the water and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife poached and stuffed in Japan. Sea Turtles mate during a specific time of year every year This image shows how Service is responsible for them on land. While the United poaching is significantly Sates has done a lot to conserve the sea turtle population, Biology/ Characteristics and that is typically between the months of March and affecting the sea turtle October. Temperature plays a very key role in determining population. the species is most threatened abroad. There are efforts being made across the globe to help protect sea turtles, the Common Name: Sea Turtle the sex of the turtles that are soon to be hatched. By http://blog.marinebio.org/200 7/05/397-dead-sea-turtles- primary example is the Convention on International Trade Scientific Name: Since there are seven different species of temperature I do not mean outside or of the water but of seized-from-chinese-fishing- boat/ in Endangered Species (CITES), which controls sea turtles there are seven different scientific names, the the sand. If the sand is below 85 degrees Fahrenheit the sex is typically going to be make and if the sand is above international trade in endangered and threatened species. scientific name for the population as a whole is Now, the problem with this is that the only people who Cheloniidae 85 degrees Fahrenheit is most likely for the sex of the sea Threats by Manmade Debris: Plastics and Ocean turtles to be female. A sea turtles gestation period lasts have to follow the rules of this agreement are the countries Order: Testudines Pollution typically between 6 to 10 weeks. Females typically birth who actually signed the treaty, meaning that countries that Family: Cheloniidae (with the exception of the between 70 to 190 eggs depending on the species of sea According to the NOAA debris that is found in the ocean use sea turtles, their skins , shells and even their meat, leatherback sea turtle which is a member of the turtle, once the eggs are hatched they are responsible for is defined as “any persistent solid material that is heavily in their culture could be exempt from this treaty Dermochelyidae.) making their way to the ocean and beginning their lives, manufactured or processed and directly or indirectly, allowing them to continue harming and ,most often, killing Status: Endangered however very few make it to adulthood. intentionally or unintentionally, disposed of or abandoned sea turtles with no consequence for doing so. into the marine environment.” Trash in our ocean is not only harmful to marine organisms but it is also harmful to Sea turtles are biologically built with a large shell or References humans, plastics deposit harmful chemicals in the water carapace which is streamlined in order to ensure that the that make it poisonous for everyone. Sea turtles commonly sea turtle can move easily and swiftly through the water. mistake trash in the ocean for creatures that they typically Sea turtles, compared to other turtles, cannot burrow their Threats by the Environment: Global Warming https://www.defenders.org/DefendersofWildlife/. "Basic Facts About Sea hunt, this trash is most commonly bottles, balloons, plastic legs or heads into their shells, they also are seen Turtles." Defenders of Wildlife. N.p., 18 Mar. 2013. Web. 07 Dec. bags, and food wrappers. This waste in harmful to sea throughout the ocean in a variety of colors most Global warming strongly affects the sea turtle population 2016. turtles because once ingested they can cause the sea turtle commonly consisting of yellow, green, and black. Sea primarily in the area of breeding. Global warming has Calver, Photo Tim. "Why Healthy Oceans Need Sea Turtle." WHY to become very ill and even block their intestines which Turtles also range widely in size, the Kemp’s Ridley is the caused the sands of the beaches that many female sea HEALTHYOCEANS NEED SEA TURTLES: (n.d.): n. eventually can lead to death. pag. Oceana. smallest sea turtle at 30 inches long and the largest is the turtles lay their eggs on to increase in temperature. This is a very big problem because eggs that are laid in sands that Web. Leatherback sea turtle which can reach to over six feet This graph Fuentes, M.M.P.B., Maynard, J.A., Guinea, M., Bell, I.P., Werdell, P.J., long. These turtles also range in weight with the smallest are 85 degrees or above most often lead to the birth of simply shows primarily female sea turtles, so if the sand does not reach the different and Hamann, M. (2009) Proxy indicators of sand temperature being between 80-100 pounds to the largest being over help anything less than 85 degrees there will be an incredibly types of harm 2,000 pounds. that sea turtles project impacts of global warming on sea turtles in northern high female to male ratio of sea turtles, leaving females face and the Australia. Endangered Species Research, 9 (1). pp. 33-40. magnitude that Role in the Ecosystem with a very small amount of males to mate with. These, "Threats to Sea Turtles." Threats to Sea Turtles | Sea Turtle, Inc. N.p., n.d. however, are only the short term effects of the rise in each species has Sea Turtles play a very key role in maintaining a healthy to deal with of Web. 07 Dec. 2016. temperature of the sand, eventually, if the temperature each. "Sea Turtle Conservation Strategies | Sea Turtle Conservancy." Sea marine ecosystem. They help maintain healthy sea grass continues to rise, the sands will reach a temperature that TurtleConservancy. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2016. beds and coral reefs, they provide key habitats for other will be too high for the sea turtles to survive in. marine life, along with helping to balance marine food webs and facilitating nutrients cycling from water to DONLAN, C., WINGFIELD, D., CROWDER, L., & WILCOX, C. (2010). Using Expert Opinion Surveys to land. Rank Threats to Endangered Species: A Case Study with Sea Turtles Conservation Biology DOI: 10.1111/j.1523-1739.2010.01541.x RESEARCH POSTER PRESENTATION DESIGN © 2015 www.PosterPresentations.com.