Greta Jimenez
Sea turtles are one of the oldest species of reptiles, with fossils dating back 150 million years. However, due to human activities, they are now under threat. One of the leading causes of sea turtle deaths is plastic pollution. Plastic waste in the ocean, such as discarded fishing gear, debris, and microplastics, can entangle sea turtles, hinder their movement, and lead to injuries or drowning. Additionally, sea turtles can ingest plastic, mistaking it for food, which causes blockages and leads to sickness or death. While the exact number of sea turtle deaths due to pollution is unknown, estimates range from 1,000 to over a million annually. With global turtle population numbers declining, addressing plastic pollution and human impacts on their habitats is crucial for their survival.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of sea turtles dying each year due to plastic pollution | 1,000-1,000,000+ |
| How they die | Ingestion, entanglement, choking, starvation, drowning |
| Items they get entangled in | Fishing gear, "ghost nets", plastic twine, nylon fishing line, six-pack rings, plastic packaging straps, plastic balloon string, kite string, discarded anchor line, seismic cables |
| Items they ingest | Plastic bags, plastic straws, microplastics, plastic wraps |
| Percentage of sea turtles that have eaten plastic | 52% |
| Chance of dying from ingesting one plastic item | 22% |
| Mortality rate after ingesting 14 pieces of plastic | 50% |
| Number of plastic bags and wraps used by Americans each year | 380 billion+ |
| Number of plastic bags used worldwide each year | 1 trillion |
| Number of plastic bags used by Australians each year | 130kg per person |
| Percentage of plastic bags recycled in Australia | 12% |
| Number of plastic bags used by people in the UK each year | 130 per person |
| Number of plastic bags used by people in England each year | 26 per person |
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What You'll Learn
Ingesting plastic
Sea turtles ingest plastic in two main ways. Firstly, they can mistake plastic for their natural food. For example, they may mistake a plastic bag for a jellyfish, or eat a plastic straw along with crustaceans on the sea floor. Secondly, sea turtles can accidentally ingest plastic that is present in their natural food. This occurs when tiny bits of plastic are consumed by fish or other animals, which are then eaten by turtles.
When sea turtles eat plastic, it can cause physical damage to their intestines, lead to blockages, or trick the turtles into feeling full when they are not, causing them to become sick or die. Research conducted by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and the University of the Sunshine Coast (USC) found that a turtle had a 22% chance of dying if it ate just one piece of plastic. In another case, a turtle's gut was punctured by plastic, and in another, soft plastic clogged the gut.
Plastic waste is transported by ocean currents, putting young sea turtles at higher risk of ingestion. In addition, plastic waste accumulates in certain areas of the ocean, such as gyres, which are areas of slow-spiraling water and low winds. One such gyre in the North Pacific is home to the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch", an area approximately the size of Texas with debris extending 20 feet down into the water column.
The impact of plastic pollution on sea turtles is made worse by the fact that plastics last forever. As they degrade, they break down into microplastics that remain in the environment indefinitely. Researchers predict that by 2050, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish by weight.
While the exact number of sea turtles that die each year due to plastic pollution is unknown, it is clear that plastic ingestion is a significant threat to their survival.
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Entanglement in plastic
Sea turtles are affected by plastic at every stage of their life. They crawl through plastic on their way to the ocean as hatchlings, swim through it while migrating, and crawl through it as adults.
Sea turtles can become entangled in plastic waste, such as discarded fishing gear, also known as "ghost nets" or "ghost gear", or other debris, while they are migrating, feeding, or nesting. Entanglement can lead to injuries, hinder their ability to swim, surface for air, or feed, and, in severe cases, cause drowning and death. Young sea turtles are especially vulnerable to entanglement in plastic pollution because they spend their early years floating with ocean currents, living in flotsam (such as Sargassum mats, or brown algae) and eating other organisms that float with the currents.
Research by the University of Exeter in England found that 91% of turtles entangled in discarded fishing gear died. Furthermore, out of the 106 marine experts surveyed, 84% claimed they had directly witnessed the death of turtles due to plastics. Scientists estimate that at least 1,000 sea turtles die each year due to entanglement in plastic—that’s more than one turtle every nine hours.
Plastic packing straps, bags, balloons with strings, and sheeting were the most common items entangling marine animals. In one case, a Kemp's ridley sea turtle was found entangled in a plastic bag that had become filled with sand. The bag had wrapped around the animal’s neck, and scientists believe the turtle drowned due to the weight of the bag or suffocated from the entanglement.
The good news is that individuals can take action to reduce the amount of plastic waste entering our oceans. People can invest in reusable containers, bring their own cutlery when getting takeaway, and pick up trash when they see it. Additionally, hundreds of organizations globally are working to fight plastic pollution through cleanups, advocacy, public awareness campaigns, and the development of novel ways to repurpose plastic waste. Many of these efforts focus specifically on plastic and sea turtles, including conducting research and rehabilitating turtles that are sick or injured from entanglement in plastic.
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Commercial fishing
The impact of commercial fishing on sea turtles is exacerbated by the excessive size of the global fishing fleet, which is currently 2.5 times larger than what the oceans can sustainably support. In 2004, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) identified over 70 fisheries operating in state and federal waters as potentially harmful to sea turtles. This highlights the urgent need for global bycatch reduction efforts to protect sea turtle populations.
One way to mitigate the impact of commercial fishing on sea turtles is through the use of Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) in shrimp and other trawl net fisheries. TEDs are two-dimensional net inserts with large escape openings that allow turtles to escape while retaining the catch. Additionally, longline fleets can adopt circle hooks instead of traditional "J" hooks to reduce the number and severity of sea turtle interactions with longline gear.
The growing international interest in reducing bycatch is driven by factors such as appreciation for endangered species and the economic impact of environmentally-based fishing embargoes. While the United States provides legal protection for sea turtles under the Endangered Species Act, similar enforcement mechanisms are lacking beyond US waters. Nevertheless, efforts to reduce bycatch are gaining momentum, with organisations like the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) working to prevent interactions between fisheries and turtles and promote sustainable tourism centred around live sea turtles.
Overall, commercial fishing is a significant contributor to the decline of sea turtle populations, and global efforts are necessary to mitigate its detrimental effects on these ancient mariners of the oceans.
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Human development
Sea turtles have existed for over 150 million years, but human activity in the past century has severely threatened their survival. Human development near nesting sites has impacted sea turtles in several ways. Urbanization has led to the construction of seawalls and other hard structures that obstruct sea turtles' access to optimal nesting areas, forcing them to travel further and increasing their vulnerability to predators. Additionally, human presence near nesting sites has attracted dogs, which can dig up and destroy sea turtle nests.
Plastic pollution, largely caused by human activity, is another significant threat to sea turtles. An estimated 5-13 million metric tons of plastic waste enter our oceans annually, with plastic lasting indefinitely in the environment. Sea turtles ingest plastic, mistaking it for their natural food, such as jellyfish, or by accidentally consuming plastic present among their food sources. Plastic ingestion causes physical damage to their intestines, leads to blockages, and can cause starvation as turtles feel full without adequate nutrition. Researchers estimate that ingesting a single piece of plastic increases a turtle's likelihood of death by 22%, and the risk is especially high for young turtles that spend their early years in flotsam, where they are more likely to encounter plastic debris.
Sea turtles also face entanglement in plastic waste, such as discarded fishing gear and "ghost nets." Entanglement impairs their ability to swim, surface for air, or feed, and can lead to drowning, limb loss, and severe injuries. According to the University of Exeter's research, 91% of turtles entangled in discarded fishing gear die, and 84% of surveyed marine experts had witnessed plastic-related turtle deaths.
The impact of plastic pollution is exacerbated by the fact that plastics break down into microplastics, which can be consumed by smaller organisms and accumulate in the food chain, including in sea turtles. This means that plastic pollution not only directly harms sea turtles but also contaminates their food sources.
To address the issue, individuals can reduce plastic waste by investing in reusable containers, refusing single-use plastic, and properly disposing of or recycling plastic items. Global initiatives, such as the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, also aim to significantly reduce marine pollution by 2025, and 175 nations agreed to sign a legally binding plastics treaty by 2024. These collective efforts are crucial to protecting sea turtles and preserving their habitats.
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Natural predators
Sea turtles face a variety of natural predators throughout their lives. Crabs, raccoons, boars, birds, fish, ants, and sharks all play a role in the natural food chain. Crabs, raccoons, and ants raid nests and feast on eggs and hatchlings. Hatchlings are also preyed upon by birds, crabs, and other predators in the ocean. Sharks occasionally attack adult sea turtles, but they are relatively immune to predation at this stage.
Urban development along coastlines has introduced many non-native species that have become invasive predators of sea turtles. Domesticated dogs and cats, for example, will eat eggs, hatchlings, and even nesting turtles. Trash left behind by humans attracts inland animals to beaches, further increasing the number of sea turtle predators.
While natural predators pose a threat to sea turtles, human activities, such as pollution, are the primary drivers of declining sea turtle populations. Plastic pollution, in particular, has devastating impacts on sea turtles. They can ingest plastic by mistaking it for food or by accidentally consuming it along with their natural food. Plastic can cause intestinal blockages, pierce the intestinal wall, and create a false sense of fullness, leading to malnutrition. Additionally, sea turtles can become entangled in plastic waste, such as discarded fishing gear and ghost nets, which can cause injuries, hinder their ability to swim and surface for air, and even lead to drowning.
Research suggests that marine pollution may also be linked to fibropapillomas, a disease that is killing many sea turtles. Oil spills, urban runoff from chemicals, fertilizers, and petroleum all contribute to water pollution, endangering sea turtles and their food sources. While the full extent of the impact of plastic pollution on sea turtles is yet to be fully understood, it is clear that it poses a significant threat to their survival.
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Frequently asked questions
It is difficult to give an exact number, but scientists estimate that at least 1,000 sea turtles die each year from ingesting plastic, with the mortality rate jumping to 50% after 14 pieces of plastic. Another report mentions that death is imminent after 200 pieces. More than half of all sea turtles have eaten plastic, and ingestion can cause physical damage to their intestines, lead to blockages, or trick them into feeling full when they are not, all of which can cause sickness or death.
Sea turtles can mistake plastic for their natural food sources, such as mistaking plastic bags for jellyfish, or by accidentally eating plastic that is present among their food on the seafloor.
Aside from ingestion, sea turtles can become entangled in plastic waste, such as discarded fishing gear, which can lead to injuries, hinder their ability to swim, surface for air, or feed, and in severe cases, lead to drowning and death.
Individuals can reduce plastic waste by investing in reusable containers, refusing single-use plastic cutlery, and picking up plastic trash when they see it. Organisations such as the United Nations have also set goals to significantly reduce and prevent marine plastic pollution.
