Impact of climate change on marine turtles
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© Jürgen FREUND / WWF-Canon
Common green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) female returns to sea after laying eggs. Philippines.
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Increased temperatures and rising sea levels a threat to turtles
Marine turtles find themselves at the forefront of the battle against climate change.They are already threatened by many other factors, including fishing where they can meet a cruel end as by-catch in a net or on a hook, through garbage as they choke on a floating plastic bag mistaking it for a jellyfish, or through the destruction of nesting beaches.
As climate change sets in, it hits turtles on many fronts:
- sea-levels rise leading to erosion of nesting beaches;
- hotter summers mean higher sand temperatures, which can lead to changes in sex ratios or prevent eggs from hatching;
- warmer ocean temperatures often lead to coral bleaching and other damage to coral reefs, which are their essential feeding habitats;
- changes in ocean currents can modify migrations paths and feeding patterns and disrupt the natural annual cycle on which these species have relied for millions of years;
- more extreme rainfall can raise ground water tables, thereby flooding nests.
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