Leatherback Sea Turtle Research Paper

Around the world today leatherback sea turtles are being killed at an alarming rate due to a variety of circumstances. From the commercial fishing industry to poaching, the population of this species has declined significantly over the past fifty years. However, there are ways to prevent this downward spiral. Through an educational approach, marine biologists and environmentalists should collaborate to form a nonprofit group to protect leatherback sea turtles throughout the world. Dermochelys coriacea, better known as the leatherback sea turtle, is the largest sea turtle on earth. The leatherback can exceed 2,000 pounds and grow up to seven feet long. The evolutionary tract of this sea turtle goes back more than 100 million years. Easily …show more content…
The three main causes that have resulted in their reduction include bycatch in the fishing industry, habitat loss, and most importantly the over harvesting, poaching, and illegal trade of these animals (Henry 1). Bycatch occurs when the commercial fishing industry traps a species that is unwanted and is often harmed or killed in the process. A sea turtle needs to return to the surface and get air. When this occurs they inevitably become the bycatch of any commercial fishing boat. In 2000, the commercial fishing industry estimated 20,000 leatherbacks were caught as bycatch in the Pacific Ocean at a time when the population was recorded as only 160,000 leatherback sea turtles (Lewison 1). With the human population continuing to increase at an alarming rate there is a greater demand for housing. In coastal settings or island countries, houses are being built adjacent to the water. Housing developments are infringing on the nesting sites of leatherback sea turtles due to increased sedimentation from the clearing of land and the nutrient run-off from agriculture. Beach goers also play a huge roll in the fate of leatherbacks nesting sites; caution is not always taken around the nests especially when identifying them is a challenge (Henry …show more content…
However, without these laws and education, would it not be easier for the world to lose another prehistoric creature forever? Presently, the world is working together to produce laws that will further the safety and protection of leatherback sea turtles. Unfortunately, people are not being educated on the importance of adhering to these laws. With the new approach of effectively educating countries and cultures around the world there is an increased possibility these sea turtles can be removed from the endangered