Turtles

Marine debris, loss of nesting habitat, fishing nets, shark control programs and the illegal wildlife trade are all impacting the survival of turtles that live in our oceans.

Australia is lucky enough to have six of the world’s seven species of marine turtle. Loggerhead, green, hawksbill, leatherback, olive ridley and flatback turtles all call Australia home. All six are listed on Australian laws as threatened with extinction, including two as a result of HSI nominations. We also secured legal recognition for prawn trawling as a key threat to the species.

HSI was a long serving member of Australia’s Marine Turtle Recovery Team. Through litigation taken by HSI and colleague NGOs, the United States was required to enforce trade measures on prawn imports leading to the widespread use of Turtle Excluder Devices in trawl fisheries across the world. These devices save thousands and thousands of turtles which would otherwise drown in the nets used to catch prawns.

Today plastic is a major peril for marine turtles. HSI nominations led to marine debris being listed in law as a key threat to species such as turtles and requiring the Australian government to develop a national plan to tackle the problem.

Turtles in Bali

In response to the increasing threats turtles face, HSI has supported turtle conservation efforts in Bali, Indonesia for many years.

Pro Fauna and Bali Sea Turtle Society are helping protect turtles on the island from poaching and ensuring as many as possible have a chance at life. Find out more about those projects here.