There are various species of turtles in danger of extinction and, like most animals that inhabit the planet, these animals are being threatened. Habitat destruction, illegal trade in species, pollution or direct capture of specimens and their eggs are the main threats.
Almost all species of turtles have some degree of vulnerability, but, Which turtles are in danger of extinction? In this article from our site we present a list of endangered turtles and their main causes.
Turtle information
Turtles are reptiles belonging to the order of the testudines that are characterized by having their bodies protected dorso-ventrally by a shell. From this shell, turtles can get their heads and limbs. Its skeleton is very characteristic, as its spinal column is fused with the shell and, therefore, it cannot flex its back or breathe through the joint movement of the diaphragm and ribs, instead it uses the abdominal muscles and diaphragm, which works in the opposite way to mammals.
Unlike other species of reptiles, turtles do not have teeth Instead, they have a very hard and resistant horny beak that It will present a serrated edge in those turtles that are carnivorous. The reproduction of turtles, whether aquatic or terrestrial, always needs the presence of the ground, since this is where they build their nest. They are oviparous animals. The reproductive season, nesting place and number of offspring depend on each species.
There are 15 different families of turtles, 11 of which have endangered species. Next, we will know the names of the turtles in danger of extinction:
Endangered Aquatic Turtles
The turtles that inhabit rivers, lakes and other types of inland waters are known as aquatic turtles. Some of them are kept as pets in homes around the world. Illegal trafficking of this type of turtle has caused damage to the stability of ecosystems, due to capture in their place of origin or release in new regions, where they are not natural.
Some of the endangered aquatic turtles are:
Pig-nosed Turtle (Carettochelys insculpta)
This turtle lives in the rivers of southern New Guinea and northern Australia It is critically endangered due to destruction of its habitat, which is threatened by the extraction of water for agricultural use. It nests on the banks of rivers, where its nests are easily detectable by humans, who consume the eggs and meat of this animal.
Magdalena River Turtle (Podocnemis lewyana)
It is an endemic tortoise of Colombia Its distribution extends through the mouths of the Magdalena and Sinú rivers. There are several causes for the disappearance of this species of freshwater turtle. Their decline is due first to habitat destruction and pollution, followed by hunting, commercial exploitation, and course-changing dam construction hydrology of the river.
Zambezi Flipper Turtle (Cycloderma frenatum)
It is a species of African softshell turtle. Distributing through rivers and lakes in Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Zambia There are no exact data on the causes that are leading this species to extinction, but it is believed that Some of the possible causes are the trade in their meat and eggs, the contamination of the waters and the illegal traffic of species that are taken, mainly, to Hong Kong.
Other species of aquatic turtles in danger of extinction are:
- Roti Island Snake-necked Turtle (Chelodina mccordi)
- Southern River Turtle (Batagur affinis)
- Yellow-breasted snub-nose turtle (Acanthochelys pallidipectoris)
- Burmese Covered Turtle (Batagur Trivittata)
- Hoge's side-necked turtle (Mesoclemmys hogei)
- Yunnan box turtle (Cuora yunnanensis)
- Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata)
- Wood Turtle (Glyptemys insculpta)
Endangered Sea Turtles
Sea turtles are classified in the chelonoid superfamily, of which there are only 7 living species, 3 of them endangered extinction critical:
Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
The distribution of the green turtle is circumglobal, along the equator, in tropical waters They are migratory animals that travel thousands of kilometers following ocean currents. Like other sea turtles, their life cycle is continually being disturbed by humans, either by pollution of the coasts where they nest, poaching of eggs and accidental or intentional fishing in the open sea.
Light pollution also means that hatchlings cannot find the sea when they are born. This can be extrapolated to all species of sea turtles. On the other hand, the destruction of the marine habitat causes the proliferation of certain diseases in turtles, such as fibropapilloma, which causes tumors.
hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
The distribution and habitat of the hawksbill turtle is the same as that of the green turtle, but its threats are different. The main cause of the deterioration of this species is the trade in its shell, made of tortoiseshell, a highly coveted material. Turtle fishing for this reason has caused it to be listed as critically endangered. The collection of eggs, reaching 100% in some regions of Asia, leaves the species without offspring. Fishing for their meat is still a problem, in some regions they are fished to use their meat as shark bait. Other causes of the decline of the species are habitat destruction, oil contamination and accidental capture in nets and hooks.
Kemp's ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii)
It is distributed along the east coast of the United States and Mexico This turtle is perhaps the most endangered species of sea turtle. The causes are not different from the rest, illegal harvesting of eggs and fishing for their meat. The Government of Mexico passed a law in 1990 that prohibited the capture of adult specimens and their eggs.
The Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) and the Loggerhead turtle(Caretta caretta) are endangered in the Western Pacific and South Pacific regions, respectively, but not globally. The species Lepidochelys olivacea or olive ridley is in a vulnerable state and there are no data on the flatback sea turtle (Natator depressus).
Endangered Land Turtles
Land turtles are those that carry out all their vital functions on the earth's surface. As reptiles, they depend on environmental temperature to stay alive, so those tortoises that live in cold or temperate climates hibernate to survive the winter.
The turtles in this group that are in danger of extinction are those that live in very specific and delimited regions, such as islands. Other species of tortoises with a greater distribution, such as the black-backed tortoise (Testudo graeca), seem to maintain a better conservation status, although due to consanguinity and loss of habitat, they begin to be vulnerable.
Some of the endangered tortoises are:
Angonoka Turtle (Astrochelys yniphora)
This tortoise is endemic to Madagascar and occupies an area of no more than 60 square kilometers. The gradual disappearance of this species dates back several centuries, with the appearance of human beings on the island and their fires that destroyed their habitat. The most current threat to the species is illegal trade.
Spanish Giant Tortoise (Chelonoidis hoodensis)
Endemic to the island of Hispaniola, in the Galapagos Islands The main cause of its disappearance is exploitation of their meat by humans, in addition to the introduction of exotic species, such as the goat. Although they were eradicated in 1978, the damage had already been done, with the decrease in the number of giant tortoises and the total disappearance of goats, the thickets have grown so much that they prevent the free movement of tortoises.
Egyptian tortoise (Testudo kleinmanni)
Despite its name, the Egyptian population of this species is believed to be already extinct and, in Libya, where are they still specimens, the species is in danger of extinction. Some of the reasons for its state are the advance of industrial zones, the overgrazing in the livestock sector and illegal trade, causing extinction in Egypt.
Other endangered tortoises:
- Spider Tortoise (Pyxis arachnoides)
- Dwarf spotted turtle (Chersobius signatus)
- Darwin Volcano Giant Tortoise (Chelonoidis microphyes)
- Asian giant tortoise (Manouria emys)
- Flat-tailed Turtle (Pyxis planicauda)
- Elongated Tortoise (Indotestudo elongata)
