|
Unfortunately, the human’s fascination
of sea turtles has not saved them from
being exploited for both food and profit.
Millions of sea turtles once roamed
the earth's oceans, but now only a fraction
of that number remain.
Seven species of marine turtles representing
two families, Cheloniidae and Dermochelyidae,
are the only living members of what
had been a large and diverse marine
radiation of Cryptodiran turtles. These
seven species include the Loggerhead
(Caretta caretta), Green (Chelonia mydas),
Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricaa), Kemp’s
Ridley (Lepidochelys kempi), Flatback
(Natator depressus), and Leatherback
(Dermochyls coriacea). An eighth species,
the Black turtle or East Pacific Green
turtle (Chelonia agassizii), is recognized
by some biologists, but morphological,
biochemical, and genetic data published
to date are conflicting, and the Black
turtle is currently treated as belonging
to Chelonia mydas. All sea turtle species
are categorized as endangered or critically
endangered.
Why
are marine turtles endangered?
(1) Marine turtle populations have declined
to the point that the long-term survival
of all species in the wild is now in
serious jeopardy.
(2) Six of the seven recognized species
of marine turtles are listed as threatened
or endangered species under the Endangered
Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531
et seq.), and all 7 species have been
included in Appendix I of CITES;
(3) Because marine turtles are long-lived,
late-maturing, and highly migratory,
marine turtles are particularly vulnerable
to the impacts of human exploitation
and habitat loss.
(4) Illegal international trade seriously
threatens wild populations of some marine
turtle species, particularly the Hawksbill
turtle.
(5) The challenges facing marine turtles
are immense, and the resources available
have not been sufficient to cope with
the continued loss of nesting habitats
caused by human activities and the consequent
fall in marine turtle populations.
(6) Marine turtles are flagship species
for the ecosystems in which marine turtles
are found, sustaining healthy populations
of marine turtles provides benefits
to many other species of wildlife, including
many other threatened or endangered
species;
(7) Marine turtles are important components
of the ecosystems that they inhabit;
studies of wild populations of marine
turtles have provided important biological
insights.
(8) Changes in marine turtle populations
are most reliably indicated by changes
in the numbers of nests and nesting
females.
(9) The reduction, removal, or other
effective addressing of the threats
to the long-term viability of populations
of marine turtles will require the joint
commitment and effort of:
(A) Countries that have within their
boundaries marine turtle nesting habitats.
(B) Individuals with expertise in marine
turtles’ conservation.
Out
of the seven or eight species of marine
turtles, five species have been reported
to be living in the Red Sea: Green turtles,
Hawksbill, Loggerhead, Olive Ridley
and Leatherback. But only three of these
species are reported to live along the
Egyptian coasts of the Red Sea, namely
Green turtle, Hawksbill and Leatherback.
The first two species are known to use
the Egyptian coast for nesting, while
the last species was reported as using
the area as a feeding ground and/or
a migratory route.
Until
2001, no attention had been paid to
studying the distribution and nesting
biology and activities of marine turtles
as a tool for monitoring and managing
the highly valuable sites of the Egyptian
coast of the Red Sea. Red Sea Protectorates,
in cooperation with some international
and regional organizations (EEPP-USAID
funded project & PERSGA) surveyed
the nearest and furtherst inshore and
offshore sandy beaches to determine
the most valuable sites for turtle nesting.
Green
turtles are found to be the common nesting
turtles, in term of the number of female
turtles nesting on the Egyptian beaches
of the Red Sea. The nesting season of
the Hawksbill is believed to start in
May with a peak in June, while the Green
turtle is expected to start in June
with a peak in July-August. Out of the
38 surveyed beaches along the coast
of the Red Sea governorate, nesting
activities were recorded on 22 beaches.
Of
them 8 beaches are categorized as Hawksbill
nesting sites and 14 as Green turtle
nesting sites.
In general all valuable nesting beaches
of Hawksbill turtles were found on the
northern islands of the Egyptian Red
Sea, with three sites of greatest value,
namely, Shedwan island, Big and Small
Giftun islands. Green turtles are nesting
commonly on the inshore beaches and
far southern islands. The highest nesting
activity of Hawksbills was recorded
on Big Giftun Island, where during the
study, more than 50 female Hawksbills
were expected to nest on the island’s
sandy beaches. However, Shedwan island
is expected to be a more valuable nesting
site for Hawksbill turtles, but there
is no available information about this
at the moment. The offshore beaches
of Zabargad Island represent the most
valuable and important nesting site
of Green turtles in the Egyptian Red
Sea area, where more than 2000 nests
were recorded in 2003. The most valuable
recorded inshore beaches for Green turtles
nesting are located within the boundary
of Wadi El-Gimal Protected Area (Wadi
El-Gimal and Marsa Um El-Abas) where
approximately 200-300 females lay their
eggs yearly.
Human
impact on marine turtle populations
of the Red Sea can be classified into
three main categories:
(1)
is the deterioration of their sensitive
and feeding habitats, especially sea
grass beds; (2) is the illegal killing
and trade, and (3) is the deterioration
of nesting beaches. The most serious
impact on the turtle populations in
the Egyptian coast of the Red Sea relates
to the deterioration of nesting beaches
due to the current intensive development
along the coast line. As we already
know, turtles return back to the same
nesting beaches after 25-30 years (age
at first maturity) to lay their eggs.
As mentioned, “the chance of a
female turtle to change its nesting
beach is equal to the chances of a tree
growing in a desert”.
The phrase “turtle conservation”
means the use of all methods and procedures
necessary to protect nesting habitats
of marine turtles in foreign countries
and of marine turtles in those habitats,
including:
|
Environment:
