I thought I would move to a marine environment for my next post. There are a couple of turtles on the critically endangered list, but in this post I will focus on the Hawksbill Sea Turtle. The Hawksbill Turtle lives in tropical waters throughout the world, but like many species that call the oceans and coral reefs their home, their numbers are quickly declining.
These turtles are only medium-sized when it comes to sea turtles. They only get to 100-150lbs (that’s medium?!?!). There is always a lot of speculation about how long turtles actually live, and it is unclear. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association the lifespan of a Hawksbill Turtle is unknown. What is know, however, is that they have been swimming in our oceans for more than 100 million years. But, now these turtles and the habitats they live in are disappearing.
It is difficult to get an accurate count of the population of these turtles because they are solitary nesters. They don’t all go to the same area to nest. They nest all over the world. Populations of nests on beaches have been found in the Caribbean, Hawaii, and Australia. Mona Island off the coast of Puerto Rico is a critical protected habitat for these turtles. After they nest these turtles are normally found in and associated with healthy coral reefs. Now, if you know anything about the state of coral reefs that should give you a hint of why these beautiful animals are disappearing.
These sea turtles play a critical role in the upkeep of a coral reef ecosystem. They remove prey, like sponges, from the reefs surface and also make it easier for other fish in the ecosystem to feed. Coral reefs are some of the most diverse and rich ecosystems on our planet, and removing just one species that lives and nurtures those ecosystems could have untold consequences. As I’m sure many of you know coral reefs are suffering for many reasons, but mostly pollution and climate change. Coral reefs and these turtles have a mutualistic relationship so if one suffers, the other will suffer.
It is not only climate change and disappearing coral reefs that are endangering these turtles. Humans are playing a major role in this species destruction. Their eggs are still eaten, they are still killed for their shells and illegal trade even thought there are international and national laws protecting them. Recently, Eastern Asia has had a very big market for sea turtle shells.
These turtles are also susceptible to fisheries by-catching them. They are susceptible to getting caught in nets and snagged on fish hooks. The WWF is currently trying to get fishers to move towards more “turtle friendly” fish hooks to reduce by-catch.
These creatures are an important link in one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world, coral reefs. These ecosystems are complex and vast, but they are disappearing and the animals that inhabit them are becoming extinct. Now why should we care about this one species of turtle in such a diverse ecosystem? For one, you never know the consequences of removing a species from a habitat until it is too late. And coral reefs are such a key ecosystem that it would be wise to not even take that chance. Without coral reefs, our coast lines would be unprotected and much more susceptible to damaging waves and tropical storms. Coral reefs also provide much of the necessary nitrogen and nutrients for the marine environment, assist in carbon and nitrogen fixing and assist in the recycling of nutrients. Without such a key ecosystem, our earth would vastly change. Important nutrient cycles would be disrupted and that would effect every living creature on the planet.
Every species is important, including these turtles, because you never now what link in the chain could cause the world to radically change, and not for the better.
Sources:
https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/hawksbill-turtle
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/hawksbill-turtle/
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/turtles/hawksbill.htm
http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/microsites/biodiscovery/05human-impact/importance-of-coral-reefs.html
Bailey Jensen says
I think the issue with fishing is really getting out of hand. We’re losing so many different species of fish and it’s definitely not worth it so people can continue to eat seafood. There’s so many other dining options out there. I really like how you talk about the importance of the hawksbill turtle in terms of how it influences the ecosystem. If we lose them, it could cause serious issues with sea life and that isn’t something we should ignore.
Nicholas Babich says
This was an excellent post, Sarah. I see the greatest danger to these animals being the chemical and weather-pattern shifts in these turtles’ climate, rather than our fishing habits, however. Major ecological changes are responsible for these declining populations, surely, but the percentage of these populations being destroyed by fishing I would expect to be nearly negligible.
jrs6441 says
I have this weird obsession with sea turtles. I know this is so basic, but I love the scenes where Miley and Liam watch the sea turtles go out to the sea. I think sea turtles may be one of my favorite animals, next to cats and koalas. I liked how you highlighted exactly how sea turtles are crucial components of the ecosystem. It upsets me when people don’t fully understand the impact that humans have on the earth.
Ani says
All of these posts always make me so sad. I wish that there was someway that I could directly help these animals, but I know it takes more than just one person. It is crazy to me that people are still eating their eggs even though they are going extinct! I dont know why anyone would want to eat a turtle’s eggs in the first place, but that is besides the point. When I went to St. Thomas over winter break I had the opportunity to play with the turtles. My cousin and I went deep see snorkeling and I got to see them. They are truly incredible animals.
Megan Rowland says
I just watched a video of a sea turtle being rescued because he had nets all over him! Turtles are clearly an important part of the ecosystems and coral reefs! It is so sad to hear that people are not taking proper precautions to help these sea turtles! Thanks for bringing this into the light! It definitely needs to be discussed more!