Green turtles make a comeback, population rises globally. Where are they found in the US?

Green turtle populations are rebounding from the brink of extinction in a major conservation win, reports the BBC. The largest species of sea turtles, the green turtles, had been listed as endangered in the 1980s.

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Green turtles bounce back from the edge of extinction

Green sea turtles, which get their name from the color of their body fat, primarily subsist on seagrasses and algae. According to NOAA Fisheries, green turtle populations declined worldwide as a result of their exploitation for their meat, eggs and fat. However, over the last five decades, global conservative efforts fought tooth and nail to protect eggs and hatchlings of green turtles to prevent their extinction, as per the BBC report.

“We must use this win as a catalyst to achieve numerous other wins,” Dr Nicolas Pilcher of the Marine Research Foundation, a non-profit based in Sabah, Malaysia, was quoted as saying by the outlet.

Prof Brendan Godley, a conservation scientist at the University of Exeter, also lauded the conservative efforts of the last few decades.

“Sea turtles are iconic and charismatic species... they inspire people,” Godley told the BBC. “Hundreds of thousands of people have been working for decades to try and look after these creatures, and undoubtedly, it has had an impact,” he added.

The most recent Red List of endangered species was unveiled at the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) international conference in Abu Dhabi. 172,620 species are currently on the endangered list, 48,646 of which face extinction.

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Green turtles in the United States

The website of NOAA Fisheries reports that Green turtles nest in over 80 countries. In the United States, green turtles nest in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, the Hawaiian Islands, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa. It is illegal to hunt green turtles in the United States.

FAQs

What is the average height and weight of a green turtle?

An adult green turtle is 3 to 4 feet long and weighs between 300 and 350 pounds.

Why were the green turtles exploited?

Green turtles were exploited for their fat, meat, and eggs, according to NOAA Fisheries.

Is it legal to hunt green sea turtles in the United States?

No, it is not legal to hunt green sea turtles in the United States.