Sea Turtles in Peril

More SlideshowsFor more than 100 million years, sea turtles have charted the seven seas. With their paddle-shaped flippers and hydrodynamic bodies, they are capable of crossing entire oceans, coming ashore only to build nests and lay their eggs. But over just a few short decades, these ancient and resilient creatures have succumbed to human activities, and their numbers are now plunging. Learn more about sea turtles and Earthjustice's efforts to protect them in this slideshow.

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Green Sea Turtle

Once commonly found in oceans all over the world, many sea turtle species are now highly endangered because of human activity.

This green sea turtle, one of the more common species, swims along the coral reefs of Hawaii.

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Loggerhead
Sea Turtle

One of several types of sea turtles found in the Gulf of Mexico, loggerheads rely on Florida's waters and beaches for valuable nesting and foraging habitat.

After years of capture by commercial fisheries, Florida has seen its nesting loggerhead population plummet by more than 40 percent in the last decade.

Photo Credit: ukanda
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Bottom longline fishing in the Gulf of Mexico is one of the main culprits of sea turtle mortality.

The lines and hooks can snare turtles, causing them great injury or even death when they prevent turtles from surfacing for air.

Image Credit: sustainablesushi.net
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Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle

Fishing lines and other plastic debris in the ocean can entangle and kill endangered sea turtles.

This Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle is being untangled by government biologists in South Carolina.

Photo Credit: National Park Service
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Conservation groups and government agencies are working to restore sea turtle populations by closing off certain sections of beaches during their nesting season.

Sea turtles come up on land to lay their eggs before heading back to sea.

Photo Credit: moody groove
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Olive Ridley
Sea Turtle

Olive Ridley sea turtles are among the smallest of the sea turtles. Although they are not hunted for their meat, Olive Ridley eggs are considered delicacies in some parts of the world, such as Central America.

Egg hunting is technically illegal, but the egg trade still continues.

Photo Credit: Bernard Gagnon
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Baby sea turtles instinctively head towards the ocean upon hatching.

Although a female turtle may lay 50–250 egg at a time, very few of the babies will actually survive to adulthood due to predation.

Photo Credit: CW Ye
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Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle

The world’s most endangered sea turtle, the Kemp’s Ridley faces an uphill battle in its struggle to survive.

Conservation groups like Earthjustice are now working to protect these magnificent creatures by curbing harmful fishing activities, such as bottom longlining.

Photo Credit: National Park Service
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