Sea turtles face multiple intersecting welfare threats during nesting and hatching, from light pollution to predation pressure to temperature-driven sex ratio skew.
Sea turtle welfare encompasses both the acute welfare of individual turtles — hatchlings dying disoriented on lit beaches, adults drowning in trawl nets — and the slower-moving welfare crisis of population vulnerability from climate change. Welfare interventions available now include beach lighting reduction, nest protection, and TED compliance — all achievable through local action. The climate welfare crisis operates at a different timescale and requires global policy action, but its welfare implications for future turtle populations are severe and irreversible if not addressed.