I love Sea Turtles they were born to survive, a mighty creature of the sea and I believe they can survive these hard times! We need to help preserve the oceans and see everything we can do to help these creatures though! They cannot ask for your help as a human could so we need to do it for them! Most of the problems happening are because of humans so I think they deserve us to think of them.
Help Me, Help Them!
READ these articles and please consider helping whether it's cleaning, not littering or donating, Consider all of your options! ....
www.seaturtlefoundation.org
Sea turtles have survived for millions of years, evolving many strategies for dealing with all forms of natural threats. They were so successful that early explorers reported on seas that teemed with sea turtles as far as the eye could see. Today this situation has radically changed. Sea turtles have become so rare that a sighting is a cause of great excitement for those lucky enough to see them.
Simply put, there are 2 types of threats to sea turtles: natural and human.
Sea turtles have been swimming in the world’s oceans for over 120 million years. During that time they encountered many natural threats. Individual turtles still faced many dangers, but as a population they were incredibly successful.
Human impacts are the sole cause of all sea turtle species being listed as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered. Take a look at the main threats:
 | Climate Change Although the full impact of climate change on sea turtle populations is difficult to measure, the effects of rising sea levels, growing storm activity and increased temperatures are grave. |  | Unsustainable Hunting Indigenous coastal communities have long hunted sea turtles for their meat, shells and eggs. |
 | Habitat Change Sea turtle nesting beaches and foraging grounds are critical to their survival. |  | Poor Water Quality Water pollution from coastal development, industrial waste and agriculture has already created a negative impact on sea turtles and their habitat. |
 | Boat Strikes With the rise of coastal communities and the popularity of boating, boat strikes have become a common cause of injury and death among sea turtles. |  | Feral Animal Predation Nest attacks by feral animals are a serious threat in Australia, with pigs, foxes and dogs digging up nests to eat turtle eggs. |
 | Marine Debris Marine debris refers to any piece of rubbish thrown, blown or dumped into the ocean. |  | Fishing Activities Discarded fishing gear, unattended nets and crab pots, and commercial fishing practices can entangle and drown turtles. |
| Tourist Souvenirs Turtles are highly prized for jewelry and souvenirs, leading to some species being hunted just for their shells. |
Despite many populations of sea turtles facing an uncertain future, there is still time to act. Sea Turtle Foundation is at the forefront in the battle to halt the decline in sea turtle numbers. Some of the solutions require international government co-operation but some solutions are simple and easy. Click on the link to see some of the solutions that you can do to make a difference.
CLIMATE CHANGE:
The full extent to which climate change could affect sea turtles is currently unknown. However there is potential for climate change to have serious impacts on all turtle species through rising sea levels, increased storm activity and temperature rises.
Rising sea levels and increased storm activity will lead to the erosion and inundation of nesting beaches. Particularly at risk are low-lying sand islands. These nesting habitats are important to sea turtles as their remoteness often means they provide safe nesting sites away from feral animals that dig up nests to eat eggs. Sea turtles have already lost much of their mainland nesting habitats to coastal developments.
Increased temperatures could lead to skewed sex ratios. Hatchling gender is dependant on nest temperatures with lower nest temperatures resulting in mainly males and higher temperatures resulting in females. Additionally eggs can fail to hatch altogether if temperatures become too hot.
Turtles have survived climate changes in the past. However the difference now is that human-induced climate change may happen too fast for evolutionary changes for turtles, their foods and all the organisms they are connected to, to keep up. Additionally as a result of an overwhelming range of other human threats, the resilience of sea turtles has been greatly reduced leaving them more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
Sea Turtle Foundation is researching the impacts of climate change on hawksbill turtles on Milman Island, northern Great Barrier Reef (Australia). Read more about this research here.
Download Myrtle’s Battle Against Climate Change here. This children’s book is based on the findings of Dr. Mariana Fuentes.
FISHING ACTIVITIES:
Commercial and recreational fishing cause the death of many sea turtles.
Sea turtles drown after getting entangled in fishing nets and fishing line. They take the bait used by long-line fisheries and drown while being dragged behind fishing boats.
Sea turtles become entangled in ‘ghost nets’: fishing nets that are discarded or accidentally washed overboard at sea. Ghost nets drift with currents and continue to fish, and kill many animals including sea turtles, dolphins, sharks, whales and fish, for many years. Ghost nets have been found in northern Queensland (Australia) that are 4 kilometres long and 12 metres deep.
Trawling fisheries have been responsible for the deaths of many thousands of sea turtles. They are part of what is called ‘by-catch’, the part of a catch that is not the targeted species the trawl is fishing for. By-catch is usually thrown overboard once the catch has been sorted. This most destructive of fishing practices can have a by-catch of 90%. Changes to legislation requires commercial trawlers on the Great Barrier Reef (Australia) to include Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs), which have reduced the by-catch of sea turtles. However, TEDs are not required in many places around the world.
Shark control programs that use baited hooks or nets also cause turtle deaths by snagging and entanglement.
SOUVENEIRS:
Jewellery made from sea turtle shell
In many countries souvenirs made from sea turtle shells and skins are readily available for tourists to buy. ‘Tortoise shell’ or ‘Bekko’ items are traditional handicrafts and highly prized in Japan. Complete sea turtle shells and stuffed sea turtles are commonly found on market stalls and in shops in many popular tourist destinations.
The possession or purchase of products made from sea turtle parts is illegal in countries that are signatories to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). All sea turtle species are listed under the convention. Australia became a signatory to CITES in 1976 and joined around 150 other countries that have signed CITES. Persons attempting to bring products made from sea turtle parts into Australia face heavy penalties when caught.
DEBRIS:
Marine debris consists of any piece of rubbish thrown, blown or dumped into the ocean. Items of rubbish dropped on streets and parks many kilometres from the shore will end up in the ocean by moving down stormwater drains into creeks, streams and rivers.
Most plastics are designed to last almost indefinitely, but most plastic packaging, bottles, containers and bags are used once and then thrown away.
Globally about 100,000 marine mammals and sea turtles, and 1 million sea birds die every year from ingesting or becoming entangled in marine debris.
Photo: Neil Mattocks
Plastics are the worst offenders. Most plastics do not biodegrade, they photodegrade, which means that they never entirely decompose, they just break down into smaller pieces that are more easily mistaken for food. Because of the long periods of time required to break down, plastics become serial killers, killing many animals over many hundreds of years. It is estimated that in some parts of the oceans minute particles of plastic outnumber plankton by 4:1.
Plastic bags kill many sea turtles who mistake their pale colours and gently undulating form for the jellyfish that they feed on. Once ingested, plastics can choke the animal or, if it blocks the stomach, cause it to starve to death.
A look at the numbers reveals the extent of the problem. Australians use almost 4 billion plastic shopping bags – and drop 50 million of them as litter – every year. Additionally 1000s more are blown from landfill sites into waterways and the ocean.
Hatchlings have been found with small pieces of polystyrene in their stomachs, having mistaken them for food. Sea turtles also become entangled in larger discarded items such as tyres and plastic containers.
WAYS TO HELP!!!:
VOLUNTEERING:
Volunteering brings amazing experiences and all the time you are helping to protect sea turtles.Our volunteers gain valuable career experience, build networks in the conservation field and gain a useful referee. Please note: field volunteering opportunities, including nesting and population monitoring, are open to members only--click here to become a member!
You don’t have to patrol beaches at midnight to help – see below for current positions or contact us if you have other skills you would like to use to help turtles.
Updated March 2013
Casual Volunteer: Help clean up rubbish and collect data at beach clean-up events, staff our stall at community events, or volunteer in our office with administrative work. These opportunities are great for those who have heavy time commitments but would like to help out for a day when they can!
Education Officer: Reach the next generation of land users with a conservation message. Education officers go into schools and visit community groups to give interactive talks about sea turtles and the dangers facing them. Must have Blue Card and background in sea turtle biology.
School Talks Assistant: Gain experience with presenting to primary school children under the guidance of our Education officer. Must have Blue Card.
Educational Resource Development: Develop workshop materials such as workbooks and drawing sheets, or write lesson plans and presentations.
Graphic Designer: Give us a professional look or make our educational resources stand out!
Fund Raise: Sponsored swims, sausage sizzles, garage sales, school events – there are many ways you can help us raise funds to protect and conserve sea turtles.
Contact us to get involved or if you have an idea of your own you would like to try.
Make a Donation
Sea turtles are at risk of extinction. They drown in fishing gear, choke on marine debris, are hunted for meat and eggs and lose their nesting beaches to coastal developments.
With your donation we will complete research that identifies solutions, deliver education programs to remove threats, and campaign government and industry to ensure there are Turtles for Tomorrow.
Your donation is crucial to keeping our researchers in the field, our educators in the community and our campaigners at the negotiating table.
Please choose your preferred donation gateway, all online methods are through safe and secure providers. Donations over $2 from Australian residents are tax deductible.
PayPal
Use your PayPal account, or simply use your credit card if do not have a PayPal account (PayPal does not require you to open an account to use this facility). Australian residents can enter their address to receive a receipt for tax purposes.
Bank Transfer
Donate directly from your bank account to ours:Bank: St. George
Account name: Sea Turtle Foundation Ltd
BSB: 114879
Account No.: 068160019
Reference: Donation
Please contact us about your donation and include an address to receive your tax receipt.
Cheque or Money Order
Please forward your cheque or money order with a brief note including your address to receive your tax receipt to:Sea Turtle Foundation
PO Box 1190
Townsville
QLD 4810
Australia
In Person
Call us to donate by credit card or arrange to visit our office to make your donation in person +61 (07) 4721 2699.Thank you for donating to Sea Turtle Foundation.
Your generous donation will protect and conserve sea turtles.
& MORE AT WWW.SEATURTLEFOUNDATION.ORG HELP BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!
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