Unfortunately, there are more and more threats that sea turtles have to face to survive, a fact that means that many of the species that make up this group are in serious danger of extinction. Being aware of this problem is the first step in being able to help them and thus prevent them from becoming extinct.
Sea turtles play important roles in the different ecosystems present in the oceans, such as helping to maintain reefs or transporting seeds, nutrients and minerals, among many others. Understanding the importance of all species on the planet in the well-being of ecosystems is essential to learn how to solve the problems that they currently have, and we have to face, because their disappearance affects us all. The human being lives because the oceans and the species that live in them exist, therefore, to stop thinking selfishly and open our minds is now more important than ever, and this will only happen if we inform ourselves and promote environmental education. If you are also concerned about this issue, in this article on our site, in collaboration with the CRAM Foundation (Center for the Recovery of Marine Animals), we explain how to help sea turtles
1. Find out
If being aware that there is a problem with the sea turtle population is the first step to help these animals, informing us about the details of said problem is the second. Thus, we must know the causes that are leading some species of sea turtles to extinction to understand what we can do about it. These threats are mainly the following.
- Pollution, which can be due to waste (especially plastic), chemical products (nuclear waste, sewage or contaminated water, fertilizers, etc.) and noise pollution (noise from submarines, oil infrastructure, etc.).
- Overfishing, which causes many turtles to be accidentally caught by trawling nets or long lines and suffer serious problems, have accidents with the boats themselves or get caught in the so-called ghost nets, which are those lost or abandoned fishing nets. When they are fished by accident, it is common for them to suffer from the so-called decompression syndrome caused by such a sudden change in pressure when they are removed from the water. If they are not treated, they can even die.
- Destruction of their natural habitat and nesting areas due to the overcrowding of beaches, the construction of buildings and the increase in use of the sea and the oceans as a means of transport, as this causes a greater number of accidental collisions with ships and their propellers.
- Climate change, which is having a strong impact on nesting areas, in determining the number of males and females that are born (which depends on temperature), in the ocean currents themselves, in sea levels, etc.
- Illegal trafficking of their eggs and body parts, as well as for sale as pets.
Re-educating society in ecological values will not only help protect sea turtles, but also other animal species that are in vulnerable states. In this sense, small changes in our daily routine can reduce the threats of these turtles. Now, once you have informed yourself and know the main dangers of these animals, what do these changes consist of?
two. Recycle and help reduce pollution
One of the most important changes to help protect sea turtles is to reduce single-use plastics and replace them for more durable and sustainable materials, since, in the marine environment, it is very common for turtles to confuse plastics with food, leading to accidents that often end the life of the animal. For example, instead of buying plastic bottles, prefer glass ones, replace plastic bags with cloth ones, etc. Little by little and as you adapt your lifestyle to a more ecological one, you will be able to incorporate more significant changes. If you are interested in knowing what these turtles eat to understand why it is so important to reduce the use of these plastics, do not miss this article: "What do sea turtles eat?"
On the other hand, minimizing energy consumption and recycling at home helps reduce environmental pollution, so it is also important to give this step and dispose of objects conscientiously, turn off the lights when no one is in that room, control the use of heating and air conditioning, reuse everything possible, etc. Likewise, Promoting renewable energies and betting on them is another fundamental measure to reduce the environmental impact, as well as carrying out actions such as using public transport or buying products of proximity. In the following video you will understand the importance of these actions.
3. Take care of their habitat
To care for the habitat of sea turtles, it is not only important to establish a recycling system and not dirty the beaches, it is also important to help clean them, make others aware of it and pay attention to the products from the sea that are bought for consumption. In this way, if you have already applied the above advice and want to go one step further to help conserve the life of sea turtles, do not hesitate and find out about the initiatives to clean the beachesclosest to your place of residence.
Given that overfishing is another of the threats that harm the habitat of sea turtles, eliminating the consumption of fish from the diet is the ideal measure to combat it. Now, if, for whatever reason, you prefer not to take this step, you can choose to consume seafood products caught in a sustainable way Although it is true that these products tend to be more expensive, so it is that they favor both your he alth and the well-being of the ecosystems they inhabit.
Discover in this other article the different types of sea turtles that exist, where they live and if they are threatened.
4. Become a volunteer
There are many volunteers you can do to help protect sea turtles. The beach cleaning is one of them and the ideal if you don't have enough time to commit to an entity to go to its facilities periodically. Now, if you can do it, there are many associations and foundations that work daily to save, recover and re-release sea turtles that are damaged or in very serious conditions. One of them is the CRAM Foundation, located in Barcelona, a center responsible for the rescue and recovery of the different marine species present on the Catalan coast that are currently threatened.
To become a volunteer at a recovery center of sea turtles and other animals, you should check the requirements of the center in question to see if you fulfill them In general, the requirements to enter a volunteer program are:
- Being over 18 years.
- Minimum commitment established by each center.
5. Collaborate with foundations that protect sea turtles
If you can't volunteer, there are other ways to collaborate with centers dedicated to helping sea turtles that they rescue and rehabilitate. In fact, these aids are just as important because they allow them to maintain and improve the facilities, save a greater number of animals and offer the best quality of life to those specimens that cannot be released for he alth reasons or because they were born in captivity..
In many places there are centers dedicated to this purpose and all of them need to receive all the help possible, so don't hesitate to look for those in your area. The Fundación CRAM is one of the most important centers in charge of saving Mediterranean animals, such as turtles and cetaceans. They have been doing this for 20 years and continue to work daily, 24 hours a day, to rescue and recover all the animals they can. Likewise, they carry out research projects whose objective is to recover marine ecosystems and the living beings that depend on them, educational and training projects to transmit respect for the environment in general and the marine environment in particular, and responsibility projects. corporate social policy that allows companies to get involved in the conservation of marine animals.
To collaborate with the CRAM Foundation and thus help more sea turtles that are accidentally trapped in nets, suffer collisions with ships or other damage, can be rescued, you have the following options:
- Sponsor a turtle In the center there are some turtles that could not be released due to the magnitude of their injuries and you can help keep them sponsoring one or more. Through this collaboration, you will be able to visit the center to see the sponsored turtle whenever you want, you will receive the sponsorship certificate, photographs and a small gift.
- Make a donation You can make a one-time donation or set a recurring donation. In both cases, you choose the amount. Likewise, you can consult the list of things that you need for the center and buy what you want, such as cleaning products, animal feed, etc.
- Become a teamer. Teaming is a system of micro-donations of only 1 € per month.
- Buy merchandising products. In its solidarity store you will find different merchandising products that you can buy to help the animals of the center, since that money is used for that purpose.
To learn a little more about the work of recovery centers, such as the CRAM Foundation, don't miss this video with the story of Cemesa, a rescued turtle.
6. Spread the word to raise awareness
Of course, don't forget to share everything you've learned to make more people aware of this problem. Sea turtles need us to continue living and disseminating possible solutions is essential. You may not be able to make a financial donation to a sea turtle recovery center or you may not have time to volunteer, but if you share all the information, it is possible that someone who sees it can and will. Therefore, sharing is also a way to help
Remember that it is very important to re-educate society in ecological values and respect for the environment. If we all understand the vital link established between all species, including the human species, we can work much better to protect this balance because the well-being of all depends on it.
