The Red-bellied Cooter is being threatened by both man-made and natural causes. Do to economic growth, areas that used to be a good habitat for these turtles are now being turned into new, buildings like apartments, houses, and stores. In areas where the turtles can live, they are threatened before they have even hatched from their eggs by other predators like raccoons, skunks, or even snapping turtles. Almost all of the eggs in a nest are harmed before they have a chance to hatch. So while humans taking up land takes the Red-bellied Cooters’ homes, their predators take their lives. Although we are still erecting new building in the place of ponds, biologists are trying to help lower the number of eggs eaten. One way they do this is when a
In "Can the Desert Tortoise Be Saved" by Mackenzie Carro, the article explains how the desert tortoise is endangered, so conservationists such as shields are using technology to help save the desert tortoise. Many people have moved to the Mojave desert in the past 50 years. With each person more trash gets produced. Humans have also built fences and telephone poles which ravens build nests on. In those past 50 years more and more ravens have moved to the desert. In fact the raven population grew as much as 700 percent. With so many ravens living in the desert they all need food, and baby desert tortoises are their favorite snack. With so many ravens, so many desert tortoises are being eaten. Nonetheless, conservationists are trying to help
The Loggerhead is an endangered species. Between 1997 and 2007, around 70% of their east coast yearly nesting population was lost as a result of shrimp trawling and development in nesting areas. The Loggerhead Turtles habitat in Gnaraloo is vital for their survival. The female loggerhead usually digs her nest at night. She digs her nest with her back flippers, about 18 inches beneath the surface. When she lays her eggs they fall to the bottom of the nest and pack together after she lays the eggs she tops off the nest with sand. The hatchlings will incubate for 60- 80 days. Loggerheads nest on ocean beaches, they lay their eggs, immediately after hatchlings emerge from the nest, they begin a period of frenzied activity. Hatchlings are primarily
Humans have heavily affected sea turtle mortality rates, but one may ask what the benefit of having a stable and healthy population of sea turtles is. Sea turtles hold many important roles in both terrestrial and marine ecosystems where they are found. Along coasts where sea turtles are found nesting, beaches have been seen to have an increase in organic matter, phosphorus, nitrogen, and lipids (Bouchard 2000). This matter left by the sea turtle is in the forms of unhatched eggs and eggshells, which are then brought into the food chain through decomposers, such as beetles, or sea turtle predators, such as crabs (Bouchard 2000).
Manatees, the tender “sea cows” of the ocean, are the huge, herbivorous aquatic creatures that sweep across the waters in different parts of the world. Although a threat to anyone at all, manatees have been killed for ages, first by natural populations, and today is endangered by habitat hunting, destruction, and captivity. Wildlife rescue team members, only a few days ago, in the center of Brazil’s Amazonian wetlands spotted an abandoned, orphaned baby manatee.
For example, Hawksbills sea turtles consume sponges from reefs allowing them to become vulnerable to predators so they cannot overtake the coral reef ecosystem (Why Healthy Oceans, pg. 7). Sponges are not vulnerable to predators in a normal state and grow rapidly, so without control, they could very easily take over a coral reef ecosystem and a very important habitat would be lost. Another example is Leatherbacks that eat a lot of jellyfish that in turn keeps the population under control. If the turtle population declines, then the jellyfish population will have the opportunity to grow and possibly even outnumber the entire fish population which would mean fewer fish all together (Why Healthy Oceans, pg. 9). Jellyfish have no natural enemies besides the leatherbacks so it is up to them to make sure that the biomass pyramid of that environment doesn’t get off kilter and result in major changes that would affect everything from the producers all the way to the consumers that the jellyfish would eat. If the jellyfish were to grow in population, then there would need to be more food to maintain all of them and therefore would deplete the food resource they need, and that same food resource that the jellyfish need is also a food source for another consumer. Loggerhead sea turtles find their food by foraging the sea floor in which they clear away sand with their nose to find their next meal. By disturbing the sand,
The Hawaii Wildlife Fund (HWF) is an organization striving to create a safe environment for endangered species along the Hawaiian coast. The organization is made up of a team of researchers, as well as volunteers, who all donate their time to protect endangered wildlife. The team’s latest rescue mission is the Hawksbill turtle. These turtles can be found in and around the waters of Maui. The Hawksbill turtles spend most of their lives in the water around coral reefs. They only come up the shore to lay their eggs in nests they dig in the sands of the beach. The HWF wants to ensure that both adult turtles and hatchlings remain safe. These turtles have also been accidentally harmed from fishing lines, hooks and nets. The HWF is also interested
Furthermore, many of the organisms which are known to regularly consume Leatherback Sea Turtles, whether in egg, hatchling, juvenile, or adult form, would need to find new and likely inadequate food sources. (Wilson, Miller, Allison, & Magliocca, 2010)
Humans have a very influential relation ship with waterfowl, theres two sides to it. On one side humans have completely changed waterfowls natural migrating path. With the modern expansion of cities, certain species have adapted and now use them as refuges, such as the Canada goose. Through climate change humans have disrupted waterfowls natural patterns of migration, and most species are un-able to adapt quickly enough to the rapidly changing temperatures. The other side of humans relationship with waterfowl is that through our modern agriculture practices waterfowl don’t necessarily need to migrate to get food, only to leave the cold. Most waterfowl species take advantage of the surplus grain left in agriculture fields, some of which have became overpopulated and harm other species of waterfowl. With the increase of agriculture fields, wetlands have been destroyed and in tern waterfowl have lost a significant number of areas to breed and reproduce in. There is a overpopulation of certain species and a decrease in wetlands, it is important to stop both of these issues otherwise certain species will be taken over by. Hunters and bird watchers are those who are primarily concerned with these issues, but other out doors mans such as fisherman should be concerned. As shown in “The Role of Waterfowl in Lower Great Lakes Aquatic Food Webs” by M. L. Schummer and S. A. Petrie, waterfowl play a important role in maintaining the food webs for fish. It is crucial that action is
~ Research their surroundings to see if anything is puting the turtles life at risk.
Nearly all species of sea turtle are classified as endangered and are increasingly threatened by climate change. All sea turtle species have temperature-dependent sex determination. Female offspring of sea turtle species are produced at higher temperatures. A warming climate may drastically alter the sex ratios of sea turtles species and reduce fertility rates and genetic variation. High enough temperatures can also create single-sex generations. A 2009 study (Hawkes et. al) on climate change and marine that reviewed data to assess probable impacts of climate change on sea turtles, found that one of the data gaps in past research was data on unbalanced primary sex ratios. (x) Another 2009 study (Poloczanska, Limpus & Hays) indicated a lack
Now, as most may know sea turtles are both marine and land animals depending on what stage of life they are in. Which means that they need to be able to go on land during certain stages of their lives. One of the main reasons why a sea turtle will go on to land is to lay their eggs. Within the last few years this has become harder and harder for the already endangered species. It
In the distance, two turtles, representing a mountain, stare off into the distance, as if they were people watching the beautiful sunset, which fell in front of them. They slip into the water and continue on with their lives. For one hundred million years turtles have been drifting at sea or bathing in the sun. One hundred million years later, they became a predominant animal in the ocean and a popular tourist attraction in many tropical places. People from all over travel to these tropical places in order to catch a glimpse of a wild turtle, rather then seeing them at their local zoo. Not only are these beautiful animals a source of entertainment for tourists, but they serve as a staple in ocean wildlife. They are one of the few large species
Introduction: The loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) was named as a threatened species on July 28, 1978. Loggerhead turtles are the most common type of sea turtle. In addition, they are the only sea turtle that still regularly nests on beaches from New Jersey to Texas.
Marine species have been subjugated to overharvesting throughout human history, the lack of data presents challenges to conservationists defining healthy populations. In the case of Hawaiian green turtles, data compiled from commercial harvesting, economic demands, and previous exploitations are insufficient for examining the original population. Historical studies like these can yield information important to fishery managers and have the potential to redefine some populations’ recoveries.
Humans have a very influential relationship with waterfowl, theres two sides to it. On one side humans have completely changed waterfowls natural migrating path. With the modern expansion of cities, certain species have adapted and now use them as refuges, such as the Canada goose. Through climate change humans have disrupted waterfowls natural patterns of migration, and most species are un-able to adapt quickly enough to the rapidly changing temperatures. The other side of humans’ relationship with waterfowl is that through our modern agriculture practices waterfowl don’t necessarily need to migrate to get food, only to leave the cold. Most waterfowl species take advantage of the surplus grain left in agriculture fields, some of which have become overpopulated and harm other species of waterfowl. With the increase of agriculture fields, wetlands have been destroyed and consequently waterfowl have lost a significant number of habitat to breed and reproduce in. There is a overpopulation of certain species and a decrease in wetlands, it is important to stop both of these issues otherwise certain species will be taken over. Hunters and bird watchers are those who are primarily concerned with these issues, but other sportsmen and women such as fisherman should be concerned. As shown in “The Role of Waterfowl in Lower Great Lakes Aquatic Food Webs” by M. L. Schummer and S. A. Petrie, waterfowl play a important role in maintaining the food webs for fish. It is crucial that action