Summary on sea turtles.

Over the past three weeks I have learned many shocking things about the current situation of the sea turtles. Things that I never knew before are now burned into my mind. Even the things I did not really want to see. I did not even know sea turtles were endangered until I read all those articles. In my opinion, we are the ones in the wrong. Sea turtles are living creatures, like us. They can feel pain. While reading some of the articles, I thought about what it would be like if humans and sea turtles switched places for a day. We could then feel how they feel, being trapped in nets and hooks, dying while attempting to escape what we left behind in their home. The ocean. I find sea turtles cute and it pains me, as well as other animal lovers to see them dying just like in the videos I watched. In fact, if the people who took the footage saw a sea turtle struggling to free itself, they should have helped it instead of watching it die through the camera lens. Some humans are just heartless. It would be such a disappointment if humans fail to conserve these wonderful creatures. Sea turtles appeared about 65 million years ago, by the same time that dinosaurs disappeared from earth. What a waste it would be to loose something that has been around since the dinosaurs.I would not want my children and their children's children never able to see this wonderful creature ever again. To be honest, when I was really young, I used to litter along the beach area everytime my parents brought me to the beach. My parents kept on lecturing me everytime I littered, but being the stubborn little girl I was, I did not listen to them. After reading all those articles, I finally realised that even a single plastic bag thrown into the ocean can affect many sea turtles and other marine life as well. Rubbish bins are there for a reason and not for decoration purposes. We should use them instead of using the ocean and shore as our rubbish bin. I sincerely hope we humans change our ways because an entire species is counting on us.

Why Save Sea Turtles?

Many people have heard about the plight of sea turtles: that their populations have been decimated, and that they are endangered species. What is often not appreciated is that among the many reasons for conserving these marine reptiles, there are explanations that are valid even to "anti-environmentalists."

Sea turtles have been used for local consumption since time immemorial, providing food (oil and protein) as well as other commodities (bone, leather, and shell) to coastal peoples around the world. Their prominence as trade items and sources of foreign exchange dates back millennia, whether it was: calipee (the cartilage used for making turtle soup), leather, live turtles, or tortoise shell that was traded.

What's more, during the past three decades sea turtles have become very important for non-consumptive uses: tourism, educational and scientific research, each of which provides opportunities for employment and information services, as well as other economic and cultural benefits.

A less apparent, but irreplaceable value of these reptiles is as ecological resources. They are unique components of complex ecological systems, the vitality of which provides for exploitable products (including fishes, mollusks, and mangroves) as well as "ecosystem services" (such as stabilizing coastal areas and facilitating nutrient flows through specialized marine ecosystems). Because many sea turtles disperse and migrate over thousands of kilometers and take 30 to 50 years to mature, they are important indicators of the health of coastal and marine environments on both local and global scales.

In addition to their obvious value as material resources, these animals also have immeasurable worth as cultural assets. All of the world's tropical oceans host societies that have traditionally held sea turtles as central elements in their respective customs and beliefs. Traditionally, to be an Arawak in Guyana, a Bajun in Kenya, a Concaac ("Seri") in Mexico, a Miskitu in Nicaragua, a Tahitian in Tahiti, or a Vezo in Madagascar, is to hunt, exploit, and revere sea turtles. In industrialized societies these reptiles also serve a special function; with their charismatic nature and intriguing life cycle, they are ideally suited for educational and research activities. Even so, scientists are only beginning to uncover some of the secrets of these fascinating animals.

As a result, sea turtles are model "flagship species" for both local and international conservation; by focusing on these charismatic animals and their habitats, vast areas of the planet have to be taken into consideration, and managed adequately. In a word: sea turtles are "ambassadors of the oceans", for conserving these animals means protecting the seas and coastal areas, which in turn means protecting a complex, interconnected world on which human societies depend.

http://nationalzoo.si.edu/ConservationAndScience/AquaticEcosystems/SeaTurtles/default.cfm

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Reflection : Even though it is stated that sea turtles have been used as a local consumption for a very long period of time around the world as a source of food, we humans have to limit what we take. I feel that is time for us to stop killing sea turtles for our own benefit because we have already taken so much over many years. We have to give time for the sea turtle population to recover. Even if the sea turtle population did recover eventually, we still should not start killing them all over again and just leave them in peace. They are living creatures like us and they have feelings too. Humans should also stop using sea turtles for tourism purposes. Sea turtles belong in the open ocean where they belong. Just imagine being trapped with no freedom to roam in the outside world and having humans staring at you all day long and taking photos. It sounds boring to me.

Time Out for Threatened Sea Turtles in Malaysia

The resilient coastline of peninsular Malaysia is blessed with sandy beaches that attract visitors from around the world, whom seek solace under the sun or diving into watery wonderlands. From March to September though, the long stretches of sand become a haven for a group of visitors that migrate thousands of kilometers, only to arrive at a special destination each year - the place of their birth.

The annual occurrence of sea turtles emerging on land is a marvellous spectacle of nature. The warm tropical seas surrounding the country nurture new life after eggs hatch in nesting sites on shore, with four species of sea turtles - leatherback, green, hawksbill, and olive ridley - relying on this particular habitat. And for the large leatherback, Malaysia is one of only six locations in the world that receives visits annually.

Predominating in East Malaysia and the east coast of the peninsula, observing sea turtle landings has become a popular activity for both local and foreign tourists. Since turtles come ashore in the darkness of night-time cover to lay eggs, it provides holiday goers with an opportunity to enjoy nature and escape the midday sun.

Throughout the decades Malaysians living in coastal regions looked forward to spending their evenings outdoors in search of shoreline sightings of these aquatic inhabitants. Treating the event as a nocturnal picnic, kids in pyjamas fleece the beach for man made discards, while adults, seated on grass woven mats, patiently await the arrival of a penyu (turtle). Waiting for the right moment, female turtles try to sneak ashore without being detected, but since leatherback and green turtles weigh up to 500 and 100 kilograms, respectively, their chances are slim.

Considered a delicacy, eating turtle eggs has been a coastal tradition as children clamour for the ping-pong to tennis ball sized embryos. The lure of sea turtle eggs has spawned a collecting frenzy, treating them like buried treasure, because of the good prices fetched in the local markets. With buyers shelling out one or two ringgit for each egg, depending on the species, a collector can haul in a small bonanza with each nest averaging between 80 to 140 precious pieces. Unfortunately, the strong demand for these appetisers has lead to the over-collection and over-consumption of all types of sea turtle eggs due to illegal harvesting and sale by non-licensed locals.

Although research on these migratory sea creatures is difficult to conduct, the numbers returning to Malaysian shores have dwindled dramatically within the last 40 years of recorded landings. Excessive and illegal egg harvesting continues to be a main reason for the reduction, but development along the beach front that invades remote areas also disturbs original nesting sites. The incidental capture by fishermen and the impact of marine pollution adds to the threat of these endangered animals survival.

In order to protect these valuable visitors, several conservation measures were initiated by state and federal governments. These include the establishment of turtle sanctuaries, the operation of beach hatcheries, and the ban on the sale and consumption of leatherback eggs. Critical habitats set aside from further development ensure the availability of nesting sites for future arrivals on the mainland.

Other sites on islands in the South China Sea are included in marine national parks, which affords some measure of protection. Setting up temporary hatchery operations on frequently visited beaches has been an ongoing practice since 1949. These fenced in enclosures provide a place to deposit collected eggs and monitor incubation, usually up to 55 days, and hatching rates. Realising the perilous position of leatherback turtles, the state of Terengganu banned the harvest, sale and consumption of eggs from this jellyfish eating giant.

One of the best vantage points to view turtles from is the Rantau Abang Turtle Sanctuary located in Terengganu. One has to remember that not all sea turtles occur in every location, and that the different beaches are suitable for selected species. If you want to observe more than one kind, then Terengganu is your best bet because leatherback, green, hawksbill and olive ridley species all find their way to the state's extensive coastline and outlying islands.

There are accommodations in Rantau Abang at the sanctuary site and most of the coastal resorts provide turtle watching outings during the season. Before nightfall though, spend a few hours at the Turtle Information Centre to read the educational displays and observe the activities of the hatchery. There are a number of rules for observers to adhere to in order for sea turtles to nest successfully because they are very sensitive to light and noise.

In the near future these ancient marvels may either be extinct or totally restricted from viewing at close range in an attempt to conserve the few remaining species. But for now, the opportunity to watch a unique occurrence in the natural world is still found on the sandy slopes of tropical shores.

http://www.wildasia.org/main.cfm/support/Turtle_Conservation

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Reflection : I am glad that people from all over the world go to this particular place to marvel at the sight of the female turtles laying their eggs. Even though the female turtles try to hide in the darkness at night and lay their eggs undetected, it's heavy weight and huge bodies almost make it impossible. This shows how much the female turtles have to go through to lay their precious eggs. We, on the other hand, dig up these eggs to eat as it is a delicacy in Malaysia. All the hard work and energy gone just like that. Over-collection because of a strong demand will cause the population to decrease and soon, become extinct. In my opinion, people should stop eating turtle eggs. We have to think about how much effort the mothers of these eggs put into laying them in a perfect spot. Some people just do not think about that.

Groups Sue National Marine Fisheries Service to Protect Loggerhead Sea Turtles

Caribbean Conservation Corporation (CCC), along with five other conservation groups, went back to court today in their continuing battle to protect imperiled sea turtles from death and injury in the Gulf of Mexico bottom longline fishery.

The conservation groups say that the National Marine Fisheries Service's (NMFS) latest assessment of the fishery's impact on loggerhead sea turtles is based on incomplete science and that new regulatory measures will fall short of giving the species the protection it needs to survive and recover.

Bottom longline fisheries use hundreds or even thousands of baited hooks along miles of fishing lines that stretch down to the reef and Gulf floor. The fishing hooks target species like grouper, tilefish and sharks, but also often catch other fish and wildlife, including endangered and threatened sea turtles. Injuries from these hooks affect a sea turtle's ability to feed, swim, avoid predators and reproduce. Many times the turtles drown or die soon after being released because of the extreme physiological stress.

These same conservation groups had previously filed lawsuit in April, which contended that NMFS was required to close the bottom longline fishery and address the new data on sea turtle capture in a new biological opinion. The new biological opinion, released in October, would allow it to injure or kill six to seven hundred loggerheads every three years – more than seven times as many as the bottom longline fishery vessels were allowed to capture or kill under the previous plan.

“We have major concerns about the agency's new biological opinion, such as the omission of detailed information about the presence of turtles in the fishing area year-round. The agency has no basis for thinking loggerheads are not currently at substantial risk from this and other fisheries,” said Marydele Donnelly, a biologist with the Caribbean Conservation Corporation.

The new lawsuit challenges the agency's new biological opinion as unlawful and incomplete. Conservation groups charge that NMFS omitted important new science from its analysis and failed to back up its flawed finding that the bottom longline fishery would not harm the loggerhead sea turtles' chances at survival and recovery.

NMFS's 2009 Loggerhead Review Team issued a report in August finding that loggerheads are in danger of extinction. The report also found that capture by vessels in commercial fisheries is a primary threat to the loggerhead population. Loggerhead nesting in Florida has declined by over 40 percent over the past decade, with 2009 the fourth lowest nesting year recorded.

“All evidence points to the fact fisheries are the smoking gun in the decline of the loggerhead sea turtle,” said Donnelly. “The Obama Administration needs to restore good science to decision-making by NMFS, and it needs to do this now.”

http://www.cccturtle.org/pressreleases.php?page=n_CCC_NMFS_Loggerheads

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Reflection: After reading this article, I am deeply moved that the people in these groups would go so far to sue the National Marine Fisheries Services to protect the Loggerhead Sea Turtles. These people are really concerned about the turtles. They took action against the NMFS for bottom longline fishery. Even if NMFS were only targeting grouper fish, tilefish and sharks, they should have thought about the other sea creatures that might get caught in the hooks and die from the injuries. I am shocked to learn that Loggerhead nesting in Florida has declined by over 40% in a decade. At this rate, they will soon be extinct.