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Hawkbill turtles (pictured) have seen worldwide populations decline due to demand for their shells, according to the report’s authors
Leatherback turtles have been the subject of concerted conservation efforts, but in the East Pacfific alone populations have declined 90%
Loggerhead turtles nesting near the North Pacific Ocean. According to conservationists this species is most threatened by “severe bycatch” (snagged in fisherman targeting other species) in Mexico and Japan
A loggerhead turtle on the northeast Atlantic Coast. Here, this species has been threatened for decades by consumption of meat and eggs, conservationists say.
The world’s 11 most threatened sea turtle populations
Green turtles in the south central Pacific Ocean do not face many serious threats, says conservationists, and can still be found in abundance
Hawksbill turtles nesting is limited to Australia and currently have a healthy population
Green turtles haven’t been monitored for long but are abundant and inhabit fairly isolated areas, nesting along the remote coast of Western Australia, according to conservationists
The world’s 12 healthiest sea turtle populations
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London (CNN) — A comprehensive new study identifying the most threatened sea turtle populations worldwide has been published by conservationists.
The report, jointly produced by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Marine Turtle Specialist Group (MTSG), Conservation International (CI) and the U.S.’s National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, is the first detailed appraisal of global sea turtle populations, say the authors, and will provide a blueprint for future conservation efforts.
“This assessment system provides a baseline status for all sea turtles from which we can gauge our progress on recovering these threatened populations in the future,” Roderic Mast, co-chair of the MTSG and vice-president of CI said in a statement.
“Through this process, we have learned a lot about what is working and what isn’t in sea turtle conservation, so now we look forward to turning the lessons learned into sound conservation strategies for sea turtles and their habitats,” Mast added.
Almost half of the world’s most threatened sea turtle species can be found in the northern waters of the Indian Ocean and on nesting beaches lying within Exclusive Economic Zones in countries such as India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, according to the report.
Threatened populations here include both loggerhead turtles (classified “endangered” by the IUCN Red List) and ridley turtles (“vulnerable”).
“The report confirms that India is a home to many of the most threatened sea turtles in the world,” B. C. Choudhury, from the Wildlife Institute of India said in a statement.
“This paper is a wake-up call for the authorities to do more to protect India’s sea turtles and their habitats to ensure that they survive,” he added.
Other hotspots for sea turtles include the east Pacific Ocean (running from the U.S. to South America) and the east Atlantic Ocean — specifically off the coast of western Africa.
According to the report, threats to sea turtles vary from region to region but can be broadly categorized.
These include accidental (caught in fishing nets) and deliberate targeting (for trades in eggs, meat and shells), coastal development, pollution and climate change.
Join Philippe Cousteau for “Your Green World”
As well as highlighting danger areas, the report also pinpoints regions which are supporting healthier populations which face relatively low threats.
Species including the hawksbill turtle and the green turtle are thriving in nesting sites and feeding areas in Australia, Mexico and Brazil, along with southwestern Indian Ocean, Micronesia (in Oceania) and French Polynesia.
The report helps set up “priorities for different populations in different regions,” says Bryan Wallace, director of science for the marine flagship species program at CI and lead author of the report.
“Sea turtles everywhere are conservation-dependent, but this framework will help us effectively target our conservation efforts around the world,” Wallace said in a statement.
The report is published in the online science journal PLoS (Public Library of Science).
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Article source: http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/29/world/asia/turtles-hotspots-report-conservation/index.html?section=cnn_latest
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