Sea Turtles
All About Sea Turtles
-They can not retract their head and feet into their shells.
-They are found in warm and temperate waters all over the world.
-Temperature of the sand where they nest determine the gender of the turtles. 85F and below are mainly male as well as 85F and above are mainly females.
-The average amount of eggs they lay are from 70-190 but very few survive until adulthood.
Why Are They Endangered?
-Suffer from poaching and over exploitation
-Habitat destruction and accidental capture in fishing gear
-Climate change has shown to affect the turtle nesting site
How to Protect the Turtles
-Reduce the amount of chemical you use because they always find their way to the sea
-Pick up the garbage you see on the beach and reduce the amount of garbage you produce
-Be aware of nesting sites and leave them alone when near one
-Help stop climate change
Effect of their Extinction
-They eat jellyfish that wreak the havoc on fisheries
-Some species eat sponges which help them from out-competing slow growing corals
-They are an important marine attraction for tourism and bring in a lot of income for several countries
Sources
Are Sea Turtles Worth Saving? (n.d.). Retrieved March 18, 2016, from http://www.bonaireturtles.org/explore/are-sea-turtles-worth-saving/
Basic Facts About Sea Turtles. (2012). Retrieved March 18, 2016, from http://www.defenders.org/sea-turtles/basic-facts
5 Things You Can Do To Save Sea Turtles. (n.d.). Retrieved March 18, 2016, from http://www.defenders.org/sites/default/files/publications/five-things-you-can-do-to-save-sea-turtles.pdf
Sea Turtle. (n.d.). Retrieved March 18, 2016, from http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/sea-turtle