MorganPerkins

A.M.Class
2Nov.2013
ConservingtheLeatherbackSeaturtle

Imaginewatchingthewavescrashalongasecludedshoreline.Thegentlerolloftheevening
wavessuddenlybreakingbyalargefigureasitmakesitswayontothesandybeach.Watching
curiously,yourealizethefigureisnoneotherthanaLeatherbackSeaturtle.Youandahandfulofother
visitorshavebeenselectedtowatchthelargecreature,thelargestSeaTurtleintheworld,layitseggsin
thecoolsandbeforereturningtothewateragain.Youandtheotherviewersareconsideredverylucky
seeingasnotverymanypeoplegettowatchsuchalargeanimalinitsnaturalenvironment.Becauseof
poachers,beacherosion,andhabitatloss,itmaybetheverylasttimethelargestSeaTurtleinthe
worldmakesitsappearance.
LeatherbackSeaTurtlesarefacingamajorhabitatcrisis.Asof2013,theLeatherback
SeaTurtleislistedasnumbersevenonthemostendangeredspecieslistandisalsolabeledascritically
endangeredmeaningifwedontstartmakingeffortstoconservethisanimalshabitatandnesting
grounds,wefacepushingitintoextinctionforever.Someofthefactorscontributingtothe
Leatherbackscurrentstatusisthetheftoftheireggsanddestructionofnestsmostlydonebyhuman
poachersaswellasafewscavengeranimals,thedevelopmentofbeachesintohotelsandhomesfor
humanuse,pollutionoftrashinmigrationandhuntingwaters,andalsotheerosionofbeacheswhere
manyLeatherbackSeaTurtleslaytheireggs.
Theissuebegansometimeinthe1950sandpossibly1960s.In1970thespecieswas
listedasendangeredandthepopulationhasdeclined95%overthepast25years.Thisisbecauseof
humanpoaching,theraidingandtheftofeggsinthenests,andlossofhabitatforhotelsandbeach
houses.Itisbelievedthatthereareonlyabout2,000nestingfemalesleftinthewildcomparedtothe
once7,000+femaleswhenthespecieshadnotyetbecomecriticallyendangered.
In2010,theNationalMarineFisheriesServiceinCaliforniadonated40,000squaremilesof
oceangroundstobeusedasasanctuaryfortheLeatherbacksaswellasfishinggroundsforfeeding.
ThelargeareaispartiallyprotectedbythegovernmentbuttheNationalMarineFisheriesServiceis
tryingtoproposelawsthatprohibittheuseofdriftnetsinthesanctuary,heavywaterpollution,and
limittheuseofmarinevesseltrafficthroughthetravelroutesoftheturtles.AspeakerfortheCenterof
BiologicalDiversitystatedthat,Habitatprotectionsarevitaltothesurvivalofleatherbacks.We
urgentlyneedmigrationsafeguardsfortheseancientanimalsastheymakethelongest,mostepicjourney
ofanycreatureontheplanettogettoourWestCoasteveryyear,(BiologicalDiversity).
AnotherconservationgroupbythenameofSeaturtleConservancy,theworldsoldest
seaturtleresearchandconservationgroup,launchedaprogramin2012toprotectnestingcoloniesin
Panama,wherealargegroupofLeatherbackshavebeenknowntolaytheireggs.Lastyear,thegroup
startedaprojectofrefittingbeachhotelandbeachhouselightssotheydonotdrawnewhatchlings
furtherontolandandinsteadencouragethemtoheadfortheocean.Toraiseawarenessaboutthe
Leatherback,andotherspeciesofturtlethegroupholdsandannualraceforawarenesscalledtheTour
deTurtlethatstartedAugust1stofthisyear.OveradozenLeatherbackSeaturtlesarefittedwith
satellitetransmittersandreleasedbackintotheoceanwheretheyarethentrackedovertheperiodof
threemonths.Theturtlethattravelsthefarthestdistanceisconsideredthewinnerwhileviewersfrom
acrosstheworldareencouragedtocheckinontheirfavoriteturtleandmakedonationstowardsthe
conservationandprotectionoftheLeatherbackSeaTurtle.
WiththehelpofvolunteersanddedicatedgroupslikeNationalMarineFisheriesService
andtheSeaturtleConservancy,thehabitatfortheLeatherbackSeaTurtlecanbepreservedinhopesof
savingtheworldslargestseaturtlefrompoachers,beacherosion,andbeachdevelopmentforhuman
useandintimerepopulatesofuturegenerationsmayhavethechancetocatchofglimpseofthis
amazingcreature.

WorksCited
"GetInvolvedSupportYourTurtleandItsCause."TourDeTurtles.SeaturtleConservancy,
2013.Web.16Oct.2013.

"MoreThan40,000SquareMilesProtectedforPacificLeatherbackSeaTurtles."MoreThan
40,000SquareMilesProtectedforPacificLeatherbackSeaTurtles.CenterforBiological
Diversity,2013.Web.16Oct.2013.

"LEATHERBACKSEATURTLE."AllAboutWildlifeRSS.PaulGuernsey,2009.Web.16
Oct.2013.
"TaketheLeatherbackConservationPledge,ShareOurPhotos,andTellaFriend!"SeaTurtle
RestorationProject.SeaTurtleRestorationProject,n.d.Web.16Oct.2013.

"SeaTurtleConservancy::SavingSeaTurtlessince1959."SeaTurtleConservancy::Saving
SeaTurtlessince1959.SeaTurtleConservancy,2011.Web.16Oct.2013.