Green Turtle Research Paper

Words: 706
Pages: 3

Lauren McElroy
ENSC 101
Fall 2014 Paper 1
Endangered Species: Green Turtles Green turtles are the largest sea turtles measuring 31 to 47 inches in length and weigh between 150 to 400 pounds. They are mainly found in oceans in tropical and subtropical waters. Similar to other turtles, they migrate long distances between feeding grounds and beaches from which they are hatched. The main threats that green turtles face today is, overharvesting of their eggs, illegal hunting and trade, being caught in fishing gear, and loss in nesting beach sites. Green turtles graze on seagrass and algae which maintains seagrass beds and makes them more productive. The seagrass that they consume is quickly digested and becomes available as recycled nutrients to many other species and plants that live in the seagrass
…show more content…
Green turtles and other sea turtles continue to be hunted and eggs harvested for mainly human consumption. The turtle market has become very profitable for trading. The main areas from which green turtles are harvested are particularly in parts of Asia, the West Pacific, and East Pacific coast of Mexico. In Western Africa, green turtles are often killed for their use in medicines and for some traditional ceremonies. A big problem that green turtles face is being caught in fisheries bycatch. Fishery bycatch is when fisheries accidentally catch the sea turtles in shrimp trawl nets, on longline hooks, and fishing gill nets. Sea turtles need to reach the surface to breathe, therefore when they get caught in these nets, many of them drowned. Another problem that green turtles encounter is habitat loss. Green turtles like all sea turtles are dependent on beaches for nesting. There is so much uncontrolled coastal development, vehicle traffic on beaches, and other human activities destroying and distributing nesting on the beaches. Leaving turtles with no place safe to