Wild Animals

Sea Turtle Welfare and Conservation

Sea turtles face multiple human-caused threats that cause both individual welfare harm and population decline.

Key Facts

All seven sea turtle species are threatened or endangered globally
Main threats include bycatch in fishing gear, plastic ingestion, light pollution, and habitat loss
Sea turtles caught in nets and longlines drown in distress over hours or days
TED (turtle excluder device) use dramatically reduces bycatch mortality in shrimp fisheries
Beach lighting disorients hatchlings who navigate by moonlight, causing mass mortality

Welfare Considerations

Sea turtle welfare is intertwined with conservation, as threats to populations arise from the same human activities that cause individual turtle suffering. Bycatch drowning is acutely distressing; plastic ingestion causes chronic digestive obstruction; beach lighting disrupts nesting and hatchling navigation. Addressing these threats improves both individual welfare and population recovery.

What You Can Do

Support mandatory TED use in fisheries operating in turtle habitats
Reduce plastic consumption to decrease marine debris threatening turtles
Support dark beach programmes that eliminate disorienting artificial lighting
Choose seafood from fisheries certified for low sea turtle bycatch
Donate to sea turtle conservation and welfare organisations