For centuries, green sea turtles have faced threats. Many of them are caused by humans. They have been preyed upon by deep-sea hunters seeking their meat, fat, shells, and above all else, their eggs. They’ve been caught in fishing lines. Their habitats have eroded because of coastline building. As a result, the turtles fell into steep decline. They've landed on endangered lists of many conservation agencies. But now, green sea turtles have bounced back. Their rising numbers have prompted one key group to remove their endangered label. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) announced earlier this month that it had taken green sea turtles off that list. That’s thanks to decades of work to save the turtles. Efforts have focused on keeping nesting females and their eggs on beaches safe. A shrinking sea turtle trade has helped too. So has using technology to help prevent turtles from being caught in fishing gear by accident, the IUCN reported. Roderic Mast co-chairs IUCN’s sea turtle commission. He said the recovery is a “powerful example of what coordinated global conservation over decades can achieve.” The IUCN first established its Red List of Threatened Species in 1964. It includes the risk status of animal, fungus, and plant species. It counts 172,620 species on earth. Of those, 48,646 are threatened with extinction. Officially, green sea turtles rose from “endangered” to “least concern.” They’ve rebounded by 28% since the 1970s, IUCN said. They can be found across the globe, from the Caribbean Sea to the Indian Ocean. Reflect: What’s something in nature or your community that you think is worth protecting?
