7 MIN READ
06-01-2025
Sea Turtles: Ancient Mariners of the Ocean
Henry Bliss, 4ocean Story Producer
Sea turtles have been swimming in Earth’s oceans since the time of the dinosaurs. With their streamlined shells and unhurried glide, they seem almost otherworldly like living links to a distant past.
But these ancient mariners face a modern crisis. Every species of sea turtle is threatened or endangered, and their survival is in jeopardy.
In this Creature of the Month feature, we explore the world of sea turtles: their lives, their importance to the planet, and the growing conservation efforts in places like Florida and Indonesia, where human activity is putting them at risk.
Bracelet of the Month:
2025 Sea Turtle Bracelet
Pull 1 Pound of Trash From The Ocean With Our Limited Edition 2025 Sea Turtle Bracelet. Only Available June 2025!
Shop Now - Clean the OceanWhat Is a Sea Turtle?
Sea turtles are large, air-breathing reptiles that spend most of their lives in the ocean. There are seven species worldwide, including the green, loggerhead, hawksbill, leatherback, olive ridley, Kemp’s ridley, and flatback turtles.
Each has its own range, diet, and nesting habits, but they all share a remarkable life cycle that takes them across thousands of miles of open ocean. Females return to the very beaches where they were born to lay their eggs; a navigation feat still not fully understood by science.
What Do Sea Turtles Provide?
Sea turtles are crucial to the health of marine ecosystems, and they also support coastal communities in important ways:
- Seagrass and Reef Maintenance: Grazing green turtles keep seagrass beds healthy, while hawksbills help control sponges that compete with coral reefs.
- Food Web Balance: As both predator and prey, sea turtles play key roles in oceanic food chains.
- Economic and Cultural Value: In many places, sea turtles attract eco-tourists and are woven into traditional coastal cultures.
- Beach Nourishment: Turtle nesting helps cycle nutrients into beach ecosystems, supporting other species like dune vegetation and shorebirds.
Where Are Sea Turtles Found?
Sea turtles live in nearly every ocean basin, from the tropics to temperate waters, and often migrate thousands of miles between feeding and nesting grounds.
- Florida’s Atlantic and Gulf Coasts: One of the world’s most significant nesting areas for loggerheads and green turtles.
- Indonesia: Home to six of the seven sea turtle species and dozens of vital nesting beaches.
- Costa Rica, Australia, the Caribbean, and the Coral Triangle: All major migration and nesting zones.
Why Sea Turtles Matter to Humans
Sea turtles aren’t just beautiful to observe, they’re environmental engineers, economic drivers, and cultural icons.
- Healthy Oceans: Turtles help maintain balanced marine habitats like coral reefs and seagrass beds.
- Sustainable Tourism: Turtle watching generates millions in revenue for local economies.
- Biodiversity: Their presence supports broader marine life, keeping ecosystems resilient and diverse.
- Cultural Heritage: Many coastal communities view sea turtles as symbols of longevity, guidance, and protection.
What Threatens Sea Turtles?
- Coastal Development: Beachfront lighting, construction, and erosion disrupt nesting and hatchling survival.
- Plastic Pollution: Turtles often mistake plastic bags and debris for jellyfish, a favorite food, leading to injury or death.
- Fishing Bycatch: Turtles get entangled in fishing lines, nets, and gear, often drowning before they can surface for air.
- Climate Change: Warmer sand temperatures affect the sex of hatchlings while rising seas and storms threaten nesting beaches.
- Illegal Trade and Poaching: Turtles and their eggs are still harvested in some regions for meat, shells, and traditional uses.
Conservation Efforts
Across the globe, conservationists, scientists, and local communities are collaborating to protect sea turtles—particularly in key regions such as Florida and Indonesia. Key strategies include:
- Beach Patrols and Nest Protection: Volunteers and researchers monitor nesting sites, relocate at-risk nests, and shield hatchlings from predators and artificial lights.
- Plastic Cleanup and Waste Reduction: Removing marine debris helps prevent accidental ingestion and entanglement.
- Fisheries Management: Use of turtle excluder devices (TEDs) and sustainable fishing practices reduce bycatch.
- Protected Areas: Marine and coastal reserves give turtles safe zones to feed, migrate, and reproduce.
- Education and Advocacy: Local outreach builds awareness and reduces demand for illegal turtle products.
A Call to Action
Sea turtles have crossed oceans for millions of years, but now they need our help to keep going.
By reducing plastic use, respecting nesting beaches, supporting sustainable fishing, and spreading the word, we can each play a role in protecting these incredible creatures.
Our actions matter. And for sea turtles, they could mean the difference between extinction and recovery.
Let’s make sure the next generation still gets to witness a hatchling’s first dash to the sea—or a massive turtle gliding just beneath the surface.
We’re always on the lookout for incredible stories from our community! Pitch yours to our team at
Bracelet of the Month:
2025 Sea Turtle Bracelet
Pull 1 Pound of Trash From The Ocean With Our Limited Edition 2025 Sea Turtle Bracelet. Only Available June 2025!
Shop Now - Clean the Ocean
