Green sea turtle no longer Endangered

In an ocean conservation victory, green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) have been brought from the brink of extinction. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) elevated the keystone species from Endangered to Least Concern. The global conservation organization moves species between categories once new data indicates changes in their population, threat levels, or habitat. 

“The ongoing global recovery of the green turtle is a powerful example of what coordinated global conservation over decades can achieve to stabilise and even restore populations of long-lived marine species. Such approaches must focus not only on the turtles, but on keeping their habitats healthy, and their ecological functions intact. Sea turtles cannot survive without healthy oceans and coasts, and humans can’t either. Sustained conservation efforts are key to assuring that this recovery lasts,” Roderic Mast, Co-Chair of IUCN’s Species Survival Commission Marine Turtle Specialist Group, said in a press release.

At up to five feet long and between 300 and 400 pounds, green sea turtles are one of the largest species of sea turtles. Their plant-based diet gives their body fat its signature green hue. They are found all over the world, mostly in subtropical and temperate regions of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, and the Mediterranean Sea. They are also considered expert navigators and have returned to some of the same grasslands for thousands of years. 

Green sea turtles were first listed as Endangered during the 1980s. For decades they were hunted for their decorative shells and meat to make turtle soup. Their eggs were also considered a delicacy and dug up from their nests on beaches. As their numbers dwindled during the late 20th century, conservation measures were implemented, including patrolling beaches during nesting season, protecting female turtles and their eggs, releasing hatchlings into the sea, helping fishers, reduce unintentionally capturing the reptiles in their nets, and more education on reducing the number of turtles killed for meat and eggs.

“This is a major win for sea turtles that illustrates the power that global conservation efforts can have over time,” Dr. Letise LaFeir, Chief of Conservation and Stewardship at the New England Aquarium, said in a statement. 

Boston’s New England Aquarium is home to Myrtle. The approximately 75 to 95-year-old green sea turtle has delighted visitors for generations. The Aquarium’s Rescue and Rehabilitation team also spends several months every year caring for sick and injured green sea turtles at its Sea Turtle Hospital in Quincy, Massachusetts. In June, 17 endangered and threatened sea turtles were released into the waters off Cape Cod, including three green sea turtles. 

Despite these recent improvements, green sea turtles are still well below their historic numbers and face continuing threats including habitat loss and climate change. For example, fever baby turtles in Raine Island, Australia are hatching. They are also frequently unintentionally caught in fishing nets, which further hurts their populations. 

The IUCN’s list now includes 172,620 species, of which 48,646 are threatened with extinction. Additionally, there are seven living species of sea turtles, with two listed as Critically Endangered (Hawksbill and Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles).

“The best way to safeguard green sea turtles for future generations is through collaborative research and science-based protections. We hope the work we’re doing will help keep the species moving in a positive direction,” added Dr. Kara Dodge, a research scientist at the New England Aquarium. 

 

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