Sea Turtles Essay Research Paper Lauren McGrorySea

Sea Turtles Essay, Research PaperLauren McGrorySea polo-necks have existed since their elephantine land polo-neck ascendants returned to the sea sometime during the Age of Dinosaurs. Although there were many species of sea polo-necks back so, merely eight species have managed to last modern times. The green, black, loggerhead, Kemp s Ridley, olive ridley, hawkbill, flatback, and leathery turtle polo-necks are in being on our planet today. All eight species of sea polo-necks are listed as threatened or dangered on the U.S. Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants List.

It is illegal to harm, or in any manner interfere with, a sea polo-neck of its eggs. ( www.geocities.com & # 8230 ; seaturtles.html, 2001 )The first polo-necks appeared 245 to 208 million old ages ago. Fossil records conclude that the earliest known sea polo-necks were recorded 208 to 144 million old ages ago. Most scientists believe that modern sea polo-necks came from marsh-inhabiting ascendants. ( Bustard )Sea polo-necks are found in warm and temperate seas throughout the universe.

Their home grounds include shallow, coastal Waterss, bays, lagunas, and estuaries. Since sea polo-necks exist all over the universe it becomes highly difficult to protect them. ( www.seaworld.org & # 8230 ; sthabitat.html, 2001 )Migration wonts depend on the species of polo-neck every bit good as the different populations of the same species in a peculiar country. While some sea polo-necks nest and feed in the same general countries, others migrate big distances.

Scientists frequently track migration of the different species of polo-necks by utilizing the method of flipper tagging. This method allows scientists to obtain information on migrationLauren McGrory 2finishs but it does non uncover travel paths. ( www.seaworld.org & # 8230 ; sthabitat.html, 2001 )It is highly hard to obtain figures on the populations of sea polo-necks because most juvenile and male sea polo-necks don t come ashore to number. The population informations is based on the Numberss of grownup females that come ashore to nest.

This method of roll uping informations is sometimes inaccurate due to the incompatibility of nesting wonts among the female populations. Research workers tend to trust more on the altering Numberss of nesting females from twelvemonth to twelvemonth to find population tendencies, instead than seeking to obtain exact Numberss. They besides merely see studies taken over longer periods of clip. ( www.seaworld.org & # 8230 ; sthabitat.html, 2001 )Worlds have an outstanding impact on the hazard of sea polo-necks. Sea turtle populations have been earnestly reduced worldwide through a figure of human influences.

The greatest menace to sea polo-necks is human intervention. Many nesting countries all over the universe are going scarce due to beach development. Menaces to the nesting beach in Mexico have cause the population of Kemp s Ridley polo-necks, the most endangered polo-neck to day of the month, to worsen from 42,000 in 1947 to 1000 by the mid 1980 s ( www.environment.about.com & # 8230 ; blturt3.

htm, 2001 ) Trash deposited on beaches from worlds causes a major job for sea polo-necks. Nesting females and hatchlings are disturbed by the presence of rubbish on nesting beaches. When females that are ready to nest see rubbish on the beach, they return to the sea alternatively of nesting. ( www.seaworld.org & # 8230 ; stlongevity.html, 2001 ) Some sea polo-necksLauren McGrory 3dice from consuming rubbish that they mistake for nutrient.

Leatherback turtles are particularly susceptible to consuming plastic that appears to be a jellyfish. Green polo-necks eat a broad assortment of marine dusts such as plastic bags, balloons, and Styrofoam pieces. ( hypertext transfer protocol: //environment.about.com & # 8230 ; blturt1.htm, 2001 ) Development of beachfronts consequences in the loss of a dry nesting beach for the loggerhead polo-necks. ( hypertext transfer protocol: //environment.about.

com & # 8230 ; blturt5.htm, 2001 ) Artificial illuming onbeaches has besides been known to belie the clip of twenty-four hours to capsize that are trying to nest. Since most polo-necks are nocturnal squatters, the changeless lighting on the beach inhibits them from nesting. ( www.seaworld.org…stlongevity.

html, 2001 ) Artificial illuming can do freak out of both hatchlings and grownups. Leatherback turtles that become disoriented by unreal lighting can roll off into countries off from the beach. This increases their opportunity of decease and hurt. ( hypertext transfer protocol: //environment.about.com…blturt4.

htm, 2001 ) Many beaches are seeking to work out this job by utilizing low-pressure Na vapour visible radiations that have a lesser consequence on the freak out of the polo-necks. ( www.seaworld.org…stconser.

html, 2001 )Another human intervention that effects the mortality of sea polo-necks is runing. Sea polo-necks are hunted illicitly and lawfully all over the universe. Worlds hunt sea polo-necks for meat, leather, and shells. Worlds use sea polo-necks for things such as combs, monocle frames, and nutrient.

The greatest menace to the hawkbill is the poaching of its eggs. Because they are of value, many grownup females are butchered for the tortoiseshell. ( hypertext transfer protocol: //environment.about.

com & # 8230 ; blturt2.htm, 2001 ) .Lauren McGrory 4The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species is an international pact that was developed in 1973 to modulate trade in certain wildlife species. This pact protects all species of sea polo-necks. The United States and 115 other stateshold banned the import and export of sea polo-neck merchandises. ( www.seaworld.

org & # 8230 ; stconser.html, 2001 )Thousands of sea polo-necks drown in shrimp cyberspaces every twelvemonth. In the Gulf of Mexico, shrimping trawlers are a major subscriber in the loss of sea polo-necks in the country. Because this is such a job, The National Marine Fisheries Service developed the Turtle Excluder Device that allows runt to be caught in the cyberspaces but allows polo-necks to get away to safety before going entangled.

( Rudlow ) Since 1989, the Federal Law requires that the device be installed on the nests of all U.S. fishing trawlers working in countries populated by sea polo-necks. ( www.

seaworld.org & # 8230 ; stconser.html, 2001 )Although many organisations are working to protect sea polo-necks, they are unable to undo the harm that has already been done. The sea polo-necks are worsening on our planet at a rapid rate. I became interested in sea polo-necks when I visited Hawaii this past summer as a member of the Gifted and Talented Science Program. There I was able to take portion in the preservation attempt by working with the Turtle Rescue Program. While at the beach one twenty-four hours, there was a green polo-neck washed up on the shore.

Although there were marks everyplace on the beach stated how it was illegal to interfere with sea polo-necks, I watched people try to compensate before my eyes.Since human intervention is the chief cause of the lessening in sea polo-neck populations universe broad, I believe it is our responsibility to seek and rectify a error that has been repeatedly made. I think that the lone manner to salvage the polo-necks is through consciousness and enforcement. I candidly believe that most people who are jeopardizing the lives of the sea polo-necks are non cognizant of the job. They are people merely populating their lives without believing about what animate beings they are jeopardizing. They may besides being populating in traditional ways that lead them to believe that it is logical to utilize animate beings at their ain disposal.

However, I believe that it would be a great loss if sea polo-necks became nonextant. It is the duty of states all over the universe, including the United States, to set more clip and attempt in implementing Torahs against the intervention of sea polo-necks. The human race should utilize the power that they have to salvage the polo-necks instead than destruct them.