Sea Turtle Threats and Interactions

Sea Turtle Threats and Interactions

• Sea turtles face numerous threats from human activities, including fishing gear entanglement (bycatch), habitat destruction (coastal development), pollution (ingestion of plastics), and overharvesting (for meat, shells, and eggs).
• Climate change impacts nesting sites by altering sand temperatures, affecting hatchling sex ratios.
• Many sea turtle species are endangered due to these factors.
• Sea turtles play a crucial role in marine ecosystems, maintaining healthy seagrass beds and coral reefs, which benefit commercially valuable species like shrimp, lobster, and tuna.
• Seven species grace our ocean waters, with WWF focusing on green, hawksbill, loggerhead, leatherback, and olive ridley.
• Sea turtles have existed for 100 million years, demonstrating cultural and tourism value.

Fishing Gear Bycatch

• Hundreds of thousands of sea turtles are accidentally caught in fishing gear annually.
• This "bycatch" is a significant threat, especially to loggerheads, greens, and leatherbacks.
• Entanglement often results in drowning due to the need for turtles to surface and breathe.
• Expanding fishing activity exacerbates the problem.

Overharvesting and Illegal Trade

• Unsustainable harvesting of sea turtles, targeting their meat, eggs, skin, and shells, threatens populations.
• Overexploitation for food, medicine, and religious ceremonies contribute to the decline.
• Illegal trade further impacts populations.

Other Threats

• Coastal development, pollution, and artificial light disrupt nesting sites and hatchling orientation.
• Turtles mistakenly ingest plastics, causing internal blockages.

Sea Turtle-Barnacle Relationship

• Sea turtles and barnacles have a commensal relationship.
• Barnacles, small crustaceans, often settle on sea turtle shells.
• This relationship benefits barnacles.
• Barnacles add weight and drag, affecting turtle swimming and feeding, negatively impacting the turtle.
• The relationship, while mutually beneficial to the barnacles, is not entirely commensal as it impacts the sea turtles in negative ways.

Barnacle Biology

• Barnacle larvae are planktonic, allowing them to disperse widely.
• Barnacles are sessile as adults.
• They primarily attach to sea turtle shells and other substrates, particularly during their larval stage.
• The lifespan of Chelonibia testudinaria is estimated to be at least 21 months.
• Barnacles are suspension feeders, benefiting from water currents over their bodies.
• Turtles' long lifespans, and movement support barnacle dispersal.