1000 Flowers for the Planet - #365 Save the Sea Turtles
Six of the seven species of sea turtles are threatened or
endangered. These threats come in a variety of forms. They are harvested for
consumption, reducing numbers dramatically. Turtles can ingest marine debris
which then causes starvation and death. They are caught in fishing nets and
trawling nets, causing injury and sometimes death. They are hunted and killed
for their shell, which is illegal, but the price for shell is attractive to
poachers. Nesting sites have been reduced as humans encroach upon coastal areas
and build great urban environments. More and more beaches are used by humans
for entertainment activities, preventing turtles from returning to sites they
once used for nesting. Oil spills affect turtles when it gets in their eyes and
skin, and because it gets into their lungs when they come to the surface for
air. It pollutes their habitat and breeding areas, affects their health and
hence their lifespan.
All of these threats come from humans, and the sad truth is
that the loss of turtles species would affect the food chain and hence the
human race. Turtles are a part of the ecosystem. They graze on sea grasses,
which are vital for the survival of other marine species, including many that
we eat. If turtles disappear and the sea grasses then diminish, more and more
species will disappear, our food sources will diminish and that will lead to
even bigger problems for the planet. Look after every species. Care about
turtles: the green turtle, loggerhead, hawksbill, leatherback, ridleys and
flatback. Check out www.conserveturtles.org
for lots of information and play your part.
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