Page 284 - French Polynesia

arine sea turtles are caught worldwide, ecotourism as a permanent substitute to sea tion is able to grow and become stronger with
turtle hunting. Sea turtle nesting grounds the presence of nutrients from sea turtle eggs,
Malthough it is illegal to hunt most species
in many countries. A great deal of intentional became sustainable. unhatched nests, eggs and trapped hatchlings.

marine sea turtle harvests are for food. Many Sea turtles play key roles in two ecosystem As the dune vegetation grows stronger and
parts of the world have long considered sea types that are critical to them as well as to healthier, the health of the entire beach/dune
turtles to be fine dining. Many coastal com- ecosystem becomes better.

munities depend on sea turtles as a source of humans——oceans and beaches and dunes. Of the seven species of sea turtles, five are
protein, often harvesting several sea turtles at In the oceans, sea turtles, especially green sea listed on the IUCN Red List of Endangered
once and keeping them alive on their backs turtles, are one of very few creatures (mana-

until needed. Coastal peoples gather sea turtle tees are another) that eat the sea grass that Species as either “endangered” or “criti-

eggs for consumption. grows on the sea floor. Sea grass needs to be cally endangered”. Globally, the Kemp’s ridley,

Leatherback sea turtles enjoy immunity constantly cut short to help it grow across the hawksbill, and leatherback sea turtles are listed
from the sting of the deadly box jellyfish sea floor. Sea turtles act as grazing animals as “Critically Endangered”, the loggerhead and
that cut the grass short and help maintain the green as “Endangered”. Although sea turtles

and regularly eat them, helping keep tropical health of the sea grass beds. Sea grass beds usually lay around one hundred eggs at a time,

beaches safe for humans. Tortuguero, Costa provide breeding and developmental grounds on average only one of the eggs from the nest

Rica, have transitioned from a tourism industry for numerous species of fish, shellfish and will survive to adulthood. While many of the

that made profits from selling sea turtle meat crustaceans. Without sea grass beds, many things that endanger these hatchlings are

and shells to an ecotourism-based economy. marine species humans harvest would be lost, natural, such as predators including sharks, rac-

Tortuguero is considered to be the founding as would the lower levels of the food chain. The coons, foxes, and seagulls, many new threats

location of sea turtle conservation. In the 1960s reactions could result in many more marine to the sea turtle species have recently arrived

the cultural demand for sea turtle meat, shells, species eventually becoming endangered or and increased with the ever-growing presence

and eggs was quickly killing the once abun- extinct. of humans.

dant sea turtle populations that nested on the Sea turtles use beaches and the lower dunes
beach. The Caribbean Conservation Corpora- to nest and lay their eggs. Dune vegeta-
tion began working with villagers to promote