Red Belly Cooters Thesis

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).

Many ocean conservations have been trying their best to help protect sea turtle nests, which would help replenish the sea turtle population. Sea turtle eggs and hatchlings have to try their best to protect themselves from predators, which seem to be everywhere when sea turtle eggs and hatchlings are around. Birds, foxes and fish are just some of the predators that prey on

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

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

The extinction of the Leatherback Sea Turtle would result in many population imbalances in the ocean, as well as on land. Each population affected would go on to alter all of the other populations it is involved with. In whole, even the disappearance of one species, such as the Leatherback Sea Turtle, will eventually affect all species, including humans, negatively. (Wilson, Miller, Allison, & Magliocca, 2010)

~ Research their surroundings to see if anything is puting the turtles life at risk.

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,

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.

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.

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

As a common sense, because of illegal trade and the decreasing in natural habitat, the list of endangered species is denser unexpectedly which always states as an outstanding topic in any heated debate. One of the Earth’s most ancient creature existing over 110 million years ago concurrently with the age of dinosaurs, though, sea turtle is currently sparse in a great amount. With the desire to speak into action the message of protecting this sea creature, The United Nations triggered a campaign called Wild for Life with the attendance of various famous people from all over the world to support all endangered animal generally and sea turtle specifically.

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

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

The fact that many countries, including US, Canada, …, have recognized turtles as an endangered species and must be protected; the