Sea turtles are among the oldest living groups of marine animals on Earth. Their ancestors appeared more than 110 million years ago, meaning sea turtles roamed the oceans while dinosaurs still roamed the planet. Even after all that time, today, seven species of sea turtles still inhabit the world’s oceans, including the loggerhead, green, leatherback, hawksbill, Kemp’s ridley, olive ridley, and flatback. Many undertake migrations of hundreds to thousands of miles between feeding grounds and nesting beaches, using a combination of environmental cues and the Earth’s magnetic field to navigate with remarkable accuracy.
Sea turtles are essential to the health of marine ecosystems. Green sea turtles maintain seagrass beds through grazing, helping these habitats remain productive and capable of supporting fish, crustaceans, and other marine life. Hawksbill turtles help maintain coral reef balance by feeding on sponges that compete with reef-building corals. Leatherback turtles consume large quantities of jellyfish, helping regulate their populations. The nutrients deposited in nests and unhatched eggs also contribute to the health of coastal dune ecosystems, supporting vegetation that helps stabilize shorelines.
Despite surviving for millions of years, sea turtles now face significant threats, and most of them are caused by humans. All seven species are listed as threatened, endangered, or vulnerable in at least part of their range. Plastic pollution, entanglement in fishing gear, vessel strikes, coastal development, artificial lighting on nesting beaches, and climate change all contribute to population declines. The sex of a sea turtle is entirely dependent on the temperature of the nest. So even though some sea turtle species are laying more nests, due to warming beach temperatures, all the eggs that hatch are female sea turtles. This is a massive threat to sea turtle populations. Because sea turtles depend on healthy beaches, seagrass beds, coral reefs, and open oceans throughout their lives, scientists often consider them indicator species animals whose health reflects the overall condition of marine ecosystems. Luckily, there are things we can all do to help protect these incredible creatures from extinction!
Simple actions such as reducing single-use plastics, properly disposing of fishing lines and trash, keeping beaches clean, and minimizing artificial lighting near nesting areas can make a meaningful difference. Supporting organizations that conduct sea turtle research, rescue injured turtles, protect nesting beaches, and advocate for stronger marine conservation policies also helps address the larger threats these animals face. Every sea turtle that successfully hatches, migrates, and returns to nest represents decades of survival against tremendous odds. By taking action today, we can help ensure that these ancient ocean ambassadors continue their journeys across the world’s oceans for generations to come.