Description

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Context :

Recently on March 2, 2025, the carcass of a green sea turtle was found at Marina Beach, Chennai.

Key Points:

Scientific Name: Chelonia mydas
Physical Features:
- Size: They can grow up to 120 cm in length & weight between 136159 kg.
- Shell: They have Smooth carapace (upper shell) with color variations like black, grey, green, brown, and yellow. And their plastron (bottom shell) is yellowishwhite.
- Head: they have a Comparatively small head.
- Beak: They have modified “beaks” instead of teeth suited to their herbivorous diet.
- Vision: they have Good underwater vision, but nearsighted out of water.
- Hearing: Eardrums covered by skin, hearing best at low frequencies.
Diet:
- Herbivorous: they mostly feed on seagrasses & algae.
- This gives their fat a greenish hue but not the shell. This unique diet differentiates them from other sea turtles.
Lifespan: they are Estimated to live for 6070 years.
Distribution:
- They are Found in tropical and subtropical waters globally.
- They make Nest along the coastlines of over 80 countries.
- Largest nesting populations: Found in Costa Rica and Australia.
- Migration: Green sea turtles migrate long distances between feeding grounds and nesting sites, with recorded migrations exceeding 2,600 km
Conservation Status:
- Classified as ‘Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List due to threats like habitat loss, poaching, and climate change impacts.

What are the other important Sea Turtle Species ?

Sea Turtle Species	Habitat	IUCN Status	Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act
Leatherback Turtle	They are Found in all oceans except the Arctic and the Antarctic	Vulnerable	Schedule I
Loggerhead Turtle	They Found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, as well as the Mediterranean Sea	Vulnerable	Schedule I
Hawksbill Turtle	They are Found in tropical reefs of the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic Oceans	Critically Endangered	Schedule I
Green Turtle	They are Found mainly in tropical and subtropical waters	Endangered	Schedule I

Source: TH

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q.What is the conservation status of the Green Sea Turtle according to the IUCN Red List?

a) Vulnerable
b) Endangered
c) Critically Endangered
d) Least Concern

Answer: b) Endangered

Explanation :

● The factors contributing to this status include:

○ Habitat Loss and Degradation: Coastal development, pollution, and the destruction of nesting beaches and foraging areas (seagrass beds) are significant threats.

○ Overexploitation: Historically, Green Sea Turtles were heavily hunted for their meat, eggs, and shells. Although protected in many areas, illegal poaching still occurs.

○ Bycatch: Green Sea Turtles are often accidentally caught in fishing nets, leading to injuries and death.

○ Pollution: Plastic debris and other pollutants can be ingested by turtles, causing internal injuries and poisoning.

○ Climate Change: Rising sea levels, changes in ocean currents, and increased frequency of extreme weather events can impact nesting sites and foraging habitats.