Sea Turtles
Sea turtles, sometimes called marine turtles, are reptiles of the order Testudines and of the suborder Cryptodira.
Seven different species of sea (or marine) turtles grace our ocean
waters, from the shallow seagrass beds of the Indian Ocean, to the
colorful reefs of the Coral Triangle and the sandy beaches of the
Eastern Pacific. While these highly migratory species periodically come
ashore to either bask or nest, sea turtles spend the bulk of their lives
in the ocean. WWF's work on sea turtles focuses on five of those
species: green, hawksbill, loggerhead, leatherback, and olive ridley.
Over the last 200 years, human activities have tipped the scales against
the survival of these ancient mariners. Slaughtered for their eggs,
meat, skin, and shells, sea turtles suffer from poaching and
over-exploitation. They also face habitat destruction and accidental
capture—known as bycatch—in fishing gear. Climate change has an impact
on turtle nesting sites; it alters sand temperatures, which then affects
the sex of hatchlings. Nearly all species of sea turtle are now
classified as endangered, with three of the seven existing species being
critically endangered.
Learn more on the WWF website