Sea turtles are ancient reptiles facing multiple anthropogenic threats — from fishing bycatch to plastic ingestion — each carrying direct welfare consequences for individual animals.
Sea turtle welfare encompasses the full arc of their extraordinary lives — from the dangerous ocean crossing of hatchlings to the long-distance migrations of adults. Bycatch entanglement causes drowning in air-breathing reptiles that can hold breath for up to 7 hours, but drown when trapped for longer. Plastic ingestion causes intestinal blockage, organ damage, and prolonged deterioration. Fibropapillomatosis produces multiple external and internal tumours that impair swimming, feeding, and vision. These welfare harms are not inevitable consequences of the marine environment but products of specific human activities that can be modified. TEDs, beach lighting ordinances, plastic reduction, and fishing gear modification are all tractable interventions that reduce the welfare burden on individual turtles.