She holds a Ph.D. in materials science and engineering. Godfrey adds: "If you know of a group planning a balloon release, ask them to consider another attention getter.". "As sea levels rise, we are also seeing major impacts to nesting habitats. "You can directly help turtles by refusing single-use plastic, using reusable alternatives to plastic bags and containers, voting to ban plastics, and picking up trash at your local beach or waterway.". Six out of seven sea turtle species are endangered and only as few as 1 in 1,000 eggs will survive to an adult turtle. "By keeping light sources shielded from the beach and using LED lights with longer wavelengths—such as amber or red colors—hatchlings are far less likely to be disoriented." Choose seafood caught in ways that do not harm or kill turtles. 10 Threats to Ocean Life. Then make small changes to cut back. Our first public webinar was a huge success, so we’re going to do another one! If staying at a beachfront property, be sure to turn off all lights at night. Though it may be tempting, doing so may frighten or disorient them. The seventh species, the loggerhead, is classified as threatened (likely to become an endangered species in the near future). After a 2-year beach cleanup in Miami that removed over 11 million pounds of trash from the environment, olive ridley turtle hatchlings were spotted making their way from the nest to the ocean, which had not occurred in decades. Turtles need clean and clear beaches (and oceans!) 10 years to save 'world’s most threatened sea turtle' ... Leatherbacks are the largest of all sea turtles, weighing up to 2,000lb (900kg) ... UK leading the way in use of language-learning apps. Nesting turtles and hatchlings use the moon's natural lighting as a guide. Trying to find their way. A new study finds heat can be effective against it. So do your part by avoiding anything that looks suspicious—particularly anything that involves the shell of the critically endangered hawksbill turtle. A moving boat can seriously injure or kill a turtle, so stay alert if you are boating in the ocean. Stanford also suggests financially supporting the Turtle Survival Alliance and the Turtle Conservancy. You can get more information from the WWF.) "Make an effort not to hit turtles seen on the road. You can also avoid other single-use items, like balloons during a birthday beach bash, which will likely end up in the ocean where they will be eaten by turtles and other wildlife. If sea turtles become extinct, both the marine and beach ecosystems will weaken and have harmful effects. That’s more than 1,300 fewer than the estimate for the 2016 proposal. This can be as simple as gathering friends to clean up the beaches, collecting all wastes and disposing them in the right way. The Oceanic Society accepts donations for its efforts to combat pollution and climate change, and to help cultivate sustainable fisheries and aquaculture. Install Turtle-Friendly Lighting Every nesting season, thousands of turtle hatchlings, here in the Cayman Islands, break the surface of their sandy nests and take their first full gulp of salty, sea air as they use the moonlight reflecting off of the waves to make their way to the water. How to save a sea turtle while on ... green and hawksbill turtles during her 10-day Swimming with Sea Turtles in the Bahamas expedition at ... not be able to engage with them in any way. Global warming can skew the gender ratios of sea turtles, as well as the distribution of predators and prey. In honor of World Turtle Day on May 23, it's the perfect time to be reminded of all the things you can do to help protect these creatures. 6. And for more suggestions on how to help out vulnerable animals, ... Sea Turtle Conservancy offers its own Adopt-a-Turtle program to help the Florida sea turtle populations. "You can help to guide fishing industries towards more turtle-friendly practices by consuming sustainably caught seafood," urges Ashleigh Bandimere, sea turtle program coordinator for the Oceanic Society, a nonprofit organization dedicated to encouraging individuals to help in ocean conservation efforts. Change your fishing location if you spot sea turtles nearby or they show interest in your bait. Here are five different ways that you could help to save sea turtles today. Stanford suggests that if you spot one on the road, pick her up and move her to the side of the road she was heading toward. You can help prevent trash from ever entering the ocean in the first place by recycling and reducing the amount of trash that you create. This one might seem obvious—we all try to avoid hitting animals when we're driving—but because turtles are slow moving, low to the ground, and often travel at night, they can be particularly easy to overlook until it's too late. (Here's how to identify a hawksbill turtle shell. To help make it easier for turtles to navigate the beach, you can also remove beach furniture and other equipment from the beach before the nighttime, as turtles may become caught in them or become disoriented. There are many ways you can help save and preserve sea turtle as a volunteer. "We know for some populations of turtles, these chemicals are having a negative impact on their health." Alane Lim is a materials science researcher at Northwestern University's Huang Lab. In the past 10 years, Paso Pacífico’s rangers have protected more than 50,000 turtle eggs. "Everything ends up in the ocean and turtles are ingesting not only plastics but accumulating the chemicals as well," Hof urges. Watch previously recorded webinars below. Remove your trash (and trash left by others) and any obstacles that may become hazards for nesting sea turtles and hatchlings like beach furniture, holes, and sandcastles. But the first step is tracking all the plastic waste you create in a 24-hour period, says David Godfrey, executive director of the Sea Turtle Conservancy in Gainesville, Florida, which has recruited dozens of businesses throughout the state to ban the use of plastic straws. Live smarter, look better,​ and live your life to the absolute fullest. Experts say these small changes can make a big difference for the environment. 1. Try to avoid walking on the beach at night during the summer, as this may frighten nesting turtles back into the sea. Sea turtles, also called marine turtles, are air-breathing reptiles with streamlined bodies and large flippers. "Plus you have the chance to interact responsibly with some turtles.". And Christine Madden Hof, marine species project manager at WWF-Australia, takes it one step further, saying "be careful what you put down your sink [and] wash from your driveways" as well. Both can alter your immune response in the long run. And remember to collect all of your fishing gear and supplies once you're done, especially fishing line, hooks, and nets. Replace Disposable Plastic With Reusable Items. Contact your local sea turtle stranding network if you see a sick or injured sea turtle. Beach chairs, umbrellas, and tents are another hindrance that can keep baby sea turtles from making their way to the ocean when it’s time to start swimming. And for ways to make your home eco-friendly, check out 30 Easy Ways to Make Your Home More Eco-Friendly. Through this program, we also provide round-the-clock protection to Nicaragua’s most important nesting beach for the green sea turtle. © 2020 Galvanized Media. "Helium balloons can travel long distances, get caught in electric lines, and hurt animals like birds and sea turtles because, similarly to plastic bags, they can be mistaken for jellyfish," says Brad Nahill, president and co-founder of SEE Turtles, which protects endangered sea turtles by supporting community-based conservation efforts. Support sea turtle conservation efforts by “adopting a sea turtle” or making a donation to a wildlife conservation program that monitors and helps satellite-tracked turtles. Contact the following organizations to donate, volunteer, and learn more about ways to help the sea turtles: According to the Sea Turtle Conservancy and the World Wildlife Fund, sea turtles face threats from overharvesting and poaching, global warming, ocean pollution, and the encroachment of human activity on their nesting sites. Never pick up a hatchling. to increase their chances of survival. And while that campaign has been surprisingly effective, it's just the tip of the iceberg—or should we say, the peak of the mountain of garbage—when it comes to plastic refuse endangering sea turtles. No matter how quiet, humans will often, and unknowingly, frighten nesting sea turtles back into the sea. "Discarded fishing lines often entangle turtles and can result in the amputation of their flippers," says Mike Osmond, senior program officer at World Wildlife Fund-US. Looking at a turtle and its tough shell, you might think that these animals are pretty good at protecting themselves. ", While tackling such a massive problem is overwhelming, there are steps each one of us can take to try to reverse the damage of climate change. Organize a clean-up day with your friends and clear the beach of litter, give a presentation to your neighborhood or local school on things they can do to save sea turtles, and most importantly, talk to others about what they can do to make sure they And for more suggestions on how to help out vulnerable animals, check out 17 Small Things You Can Do to Help Endangered Species. If you find yourself close to a sea turtle on the beach, don't make any sudden movements and slowly move away from the turtle. One main way is through education. Generosity is an antidote to isolation, fear, and division. "The best option is to turn exterior lights off during the nesting season—usually May through September—but sea turtle-friendly bulbs and fixtures are also available," explains Godfrey, whose Sea Turtle Conservancy created a video on the topic and runs a beachfront lighting program. Plastic bags are especially troublesome, as sea turtles can mistake them for their favorite snack: jellyfish. If you do need lighting, try to avoid directly illuminating the beach, using a shade to minimize the amount of light shining in the area. Avoid all forms of artificial light while at the beach at night, including flashlights, flash photography, video cameras, and fires on nesting beaches. Sea turtles are part of two essential ecosystems, beaches, and marine systems. If … Cleaning up the beach may also help make that locations habitable for turtles again. Reduce global warming by taking simple steps that will likely save money in the long run: drive less, ... but they are a danger to wildlife such as sea turtles, who can swallow them accidentally, mistake them for food, ... 10 Easy Ways of Helping Turtles Survive. So what can you do to save these captured turtles? Even if you don't live near major turtle habitats, that doesn't mean you can't do your part to help in the efforts to protect sea turtles. Join us for Sea Turtle Week, June 10-16, 2019, to celebrate these spectacular marine animals. These can be dangerous to sea turtles who mistake them for food, such as jellyfish. By Lucy Hicks Oct. 5, 2020 , 11:00 AM. Instinctively, they follow the brightest direction to find their way to the water, but if they are disoriented by artificial lighting, they may wander inland and die of dehydration or predation. you can help improve the ocean and the turtles’ home and food supply. Sea creatures, including turtles, mistake garbage and plastic as food which can harm them and even cause death. 10 Best Possible Ways to Help to save the sea turtle in Costa Rica. "Find biodegradable lawn and garden products that you can use and facilities that properly dispose of toxic chemicals," he says. You can also “adopt a nest” during nesting season. "Survivorship of eggs incubating on beaches is being reduced by rising temperatures, and because the sex of hatchlings is determined by the temperature of nests, rising temperatures are producing mostly female turtles on many beaches—which poses a long-term threat to survival of the species," explains Godfrey. By limiting your use of plastic products, straws, one time use containers, etc. 2 Minute Read. Alex is a writer and expert excavator of fascinating facts. The World Wildlife Fund operates an Adopt a Sea Turtle program that helps protect the animals from the aforementioned dangers (and a monthly donation comes with an adoption kit complete with stuffed sea turtle). Doing so will also stop more trash from entering the oceans, reducing the chances that a turtle may become trapped or eat it. 4. Don't approach sea turtles when they come up to land. The Oceanic Society offers a step-by-step guide–as does the World Wildlife Fund—to ensure you are buying and consuming seafood that has been sustainably sourced, and that no sea turtles were harmed in getting the fish to your table. 1. All the various organizations cited in this article are doing worthy work to help protect turtle populations, and they could use your financial support. Lights Out: Hatchlings use the light from the moon to find their way to the water.Street lights discourages them from nesting on the beach and cause confusion, putting them in danger to head inland. All donations will be matched, dollar-for-dollar, up to $30,000 this giving season by a longtime supporter! Educate yourself on how your seafood was caught and support organizations that advocate for the sustainable catching of seafood. Be a volunteer ambassador to Save Leatherback Turtles in Limon, Costa Rica. Reduce the amount of plastic you use every day. 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