The green turtle has experienced a significant resurgence, marking a major victory for conservation efforts, according to scientists.
Heavily hunted in the past for turtle soup, their eggs, and decorative shells, the green turtle’s population plummeted, leading to its endangered listing in the 1980s.
However, thanks to decades of global conservation initiatives—ranging from egg protection and hatchling release programs on beaches to measures aimed at reducing accidental capture in fishing nets—new data indicates that green turtle populations are now rebounding.
“We must leverage this success as a catalyst to achieve numerous other wins,” stated Dr. Nicolas Pilcher of the Marine Research Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Sabah, Malaysia.
Green turtles, distinguished by the greenish hue of their body fat resulting from their herbivorous diet, are among the largest sea turtle species.
They are one of seven extant species of sea turtles, two of which are classified as critically endangered.
Prof. Brendan Godley, a conservation scientist at the University of Exeter, noted that green turtle populations are showing recovery signs in multiple regions worldwide due to conservation efforts spanning the past five decades. He emphasized that while continued efforts are essential, this progress offers considerable optimism.
“Sea turtles are iconic and charismatic species… they inspire people,” he remarked. “The dedicated work of hundreds of thousands of individuals over decades to protect these creatures has undoubtedly made a significant impact.”
These conservation efforts encompass beach patrols, protection of nesting females and their eggs, hatchling release programs, educational initiatives to reduce turtle hunting for meat and eggs, and the implementation of measures to prevent turtle capture in fishing nets.
The latest Red List of endangered species was unveiled at the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) world congress in Abu Dhabi.
The list now includes 172,620 species, with 48,646 facing the threat of extinction.
Species are reclassified based on new data reflecting changes in their population, habitat, or the threats they face.
Increased risk—such as declining numbers or habitat degradation—may result in a species being moved to a higher-risk category like Endangered. Conversely, successful conservation efforts may lead to a species being shifted to a lower-risk category like Near Threatened or Least Concern.
The green turtle has been reclassified from Endangered to Least Concern. However, despite these recent gains, green turtle numbers remain significantly below historical levels due to past overexploitation and ongoing threats such as fishing, habitat loss, and climate change.
Decreased hatching rates in areas such as Raine Island, Australia, underscore the continued urgency of conservation efforts.
The endangered list update also brought concerning news for other species, including Arctic seals, which are facing increased extinction risk due to sea ice loss associated with climate change.
The hooded seal has been moved from Vulnerable to Endangered, while the bearded and harp seals are now classified as Near Threatened due to shrinking sea ice.
Arctic seals rely on sea ice for breeding, resting, and feeding, making their survival vulnerable to its loss.
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