Fibropapillomatosis, a tumor disease in sea turtles, is linked to water quality degradation and climate stress, threatening turtle welfare globally.
Sea turtles with fibropapillomatosis suffer from tumors that impair vision, movement, and feeding. Affected turtles frequently strand, are underweight, and face additional stressors from the rehabilitation process itself. The disease represents a welfare crisis that is directly connected to human-caused environmental degradation. Addressing the root causes — agricultural runoff, coastal pollution, and climate change — is the only sustainable solution.