Posted on March, 08 2006

Marine turtles have swum in the world's oceans for over 100 million years. The only widely distributed marine reptiles, many species migrate for thousands of kilometres - and even across entire oceans - between feeding and nesting grounds.

An integral part of coastal and marine ecosystems, they have also been fundamental to the culture of coastal societies for millennia. But human activities over the past 200 years have massively tipped the scales against the survival of these ancient mariners. Slaughtered in the millions for their eggs, meat, skin, and shells, their already reduced populations still suffer from poaching and over-exploitation, as well as incidental capture in fishing gear and habitat loss and alteration.

Today, six of the seven living species are classified as Endangered or Critically Endangered. Concerted conservation efforts have seen turtle populations recover in some areas, but without urgent global action the future of these magnificent animals looks increasingly grim.

Marine turtles are 'flagship' species for their habitats - that is, charismatic representatives of the biodiversity within the complex ecosystems they inhabit. They fill an important ecological role by controlling prey species and themselves providing food to larger predators. Efforts to safeguard marine turtles will not only help save many other species, but will directly contribute to human development: the animals are becoming increasingly important as tourist attractions and hence sources of employment and income.

With over 40 years of experience in marine turtle conservation, WWF's Global Marine Turtle Programme and TRAFFIC - the international wildlife trade monitoring network organized and operated as a joint programme by and between WWF and IUCN-The World Conservation Union - aim to protect and restore marine turtle populations to functional levels within the ecosystems in which they live, while conserving their intrinsic values and their benefits to people.