Conservation

Green turtles are found worldwide with two distinct populations segments (DPS) listed under the endangered species act. The largest nesting populations in the world are found in Tortuguero on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica 30,000 females nest per season (on average) and Raine nest on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia- during a peak nesting season, up to 60,000 females nest on this island and surrounding reef. However, Green turtles nest in over 80 countries, but in the United States, nesting green turtles are primarily found in Hawaiian island, U.S. Pacific island territories ( Guam, the commonweath of the norther Mariana islands, and American Samoa), Puerto Rico the virgin islands, and Florida. Nesting also occurs annually in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Texas.

The status of the green turtles currently according to IUCN is they are threatened since 2004. Chelonia mydas is listed as endangered. Currently in 2023 green turtle populations have declined from 91 million to just 30,000 which is very shocking. The green turtles are endangered for many reasons such as 

• Bycatch in fishing Gear

This is a primary threat to sea turtles unintended capture in fishing gear. Which can result in drowning or cause injuries and lead to death or debilitation ( for example, swallowing hooks, or flipper entanglement). This is a worldwide problem. Primary types of gear that result in bycatch of green turtles include trawls, gilnets, longlines, hook and line, and pot/traps.

• Loss and degradation of nesting habitat

Coastal development and rising seas from climate change are leading to the loss of nesting beach habitat for green turtles. Shoreline hardening or armoring (e.g., seawalls) can result in the complete loss of dry sand suitable for successful nesting. Artificial lighting on and near nesting beaches can deter nesting females from coming ashore to nest and can disorient hatchlings trying to find the sea after emerging from their nests. 

• Direct Harvest of Turtle Eggs

This is also a problem historically, green turtles were killed in extraordinarily high numbers for there fat, meat, and eggs. This led to the catastrophic global decline of the species. While it's illegal in the United States, killing green turtles and collecting their eggs in some countries it is legal and this can disrupt regional efforts to recover this species.

• Vessal Strikes 

Various types of watercraft can strike green turtles when they are at or near the surface resulting in injury or death. Vessel strikes are a major threat to green turtles, in particular large juveniles and adults near ports, waterways, and developed coastlines throughout their range. High boat traffic areas such as marinas and inlets present a higher risk to green turtles. Adult green turtles, in particular nesting females, are more susceptible to vessel strikes when making reproductive migrations and while they are nearshore during the nesting season. 

• Ocean pollution/ Marine Debris

Increasing pollution of nearshore and offshore marine habitats threatens all sea turtles and degrades their habitats. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill was the largest offshore oil spill in U.S. history and affected nesting (including nesting females, eggs, and hatchlings), small juvenile, large juvenile, and adult sea turtles throughout the Gulf of Mexico. Ingestion of marine debris is another threat to all species of sea turtles. Green turtles may ingest marine debris such as fishing line, balloons, plastic bags, floating tar or oil, and other materials discarded by humans which they can mistake for food. They may also become entangled in marine debris, including lost or discarded fishing gear, and can be killed or seriously injured. 

• Climate Change

For all sea turtles, a warming climate is likely to result in changes in beach morphology and higher sand temperatures, which can be lethal to eggs or alter the ratio of male and female hatchlings produced. Rising seas and storm events cause beach erosion, which may flood nests or wash them away. Changes in the temperature of the marine environment are likely to alter the abundance and distribution of food resources, leading to a shift in the migratory and foraging range and nesting season of green turtles.

• Disease

Fibropapillomatosis is a disease that causes external and internal tumors in green turtles. These tumors can significantly affect their ability to swim and feed and can lead to death. The disease is most prevalent in green turtles and some evidence has linked the disease prevalence to degraded marine habitats. 

Green turtles are protected under the endangered species act. Eleven distinct population segments (DPS) are listed as endangered or threatened. Green turtles are in fact danger and are facing extinction now or is the foreseeable future. There is recovery plans that have been developed to recover and protect green turtle populations found in U.S. waters. Each of these focuses on the unigue needs of green turtles in various regions such as 

• U.S. Population of Atlantic green turtle recovery plan

• U.S. Pacific populations of the East Pacific Green turtle recovery plan

• U.S. Pacific populations of green turtle recovery plan

How they plan to implement this in efforts to conserve green turtles 

• Protecting habitat and designating critical habitats 

• Reducing bycatch

• Rescue, disentanglement, and rehabilitation 

• Eliminating the harassment of turtles on beaches and foraging habitats through education and enforcement 

• Consulting with federal agencies to ensure their activties are not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of listed species.

These efforts over the past years as been a success which is good however, green turtles are still declining. Honestly people are the issue but people are also the solution. SAVE THE GREEN TURTLES.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGfwKNf2PBQ 

References

• NOAA Fisheries green turtle ( 9-15-2022)

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/green-turtle 

•  IUCN Red List (2022)

https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/4615/11037468  

• Sea Turtle Conservancy (1996-2023) Information about green turtles 

https://conserveturtles.org/information-sea-turtles-green-sea-turtle/