Wildlife

Wild Turtle Conservation International

Sea turtle conservation requires international cooperation to address fishing bycatch, nesting beach protection, and climate change threats.

Key Facts

All seven sea turtle species are threatened or endangered globally
Bycatch in fishing nets and longlines kills hundreds of thousands of turtles annually
Nesting beach lighting disorients hatchlings away from the sea
Climate change is feminising turtle populations by warming incubation sand temperatures
Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) in trawls significantly reduce bycatch mortality

Welfare Considerations

Sea turtle welfare extends across ocean basins and requires international collaboration. Bycatch in fishing gear causes drowning - acute welfare suffering at enormous scale. Beach lighting confuses hatchlings causing exhaustion and death. Each conservation intervention - TEDs, beach management, climate action - has direct individual welfare benefits.

What You Can Do

Support sea turtle conservation organisations working across their range
Choose seafood from fisheries using turtle-excluder devices
Advocate for mandatory TED use in trawl fisheries globally