Bring Leatherbacks to the Forefront

Bring Leatherbacks to the Forefront

By: Cassie Stevenson

 

Description and Ecology

            Among all living Sea Turtles, Leatherbacks are the largest. The unique nature of their skeleton made it so they were classified in a separate family, Dermochelyidae, unlike other existing species of sea turtles, who are a part of the Cheloniidae family. Contrary to most turtles, whose shells consist of bony plates, leatherbacks have rubber-like shells that allow for further mobility. Other differentiating features of leatherbacks are that their internal body temperatures tend to be a few degrees above the temperature of the water they’re immersed in, and a considerable extent of their skeleton consists of cartilage. Furthermore, adult Leatherbacks are known to be exceptionally migratory. The habitat of hatchlings remains unknown. Female Leatherbacks prefer clear beaches such as those found among continental shorelines. As for their diet, Leatherbacks eat primarily jellyfish along with various other soft bodied creatures. (National Marine Fisheries Service)   

Listing Date and Type of Listing

Leatherback Sea Turtles have been listed as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act since June 2, 1970. (National Marine Fisheries Service)

 

 Geographic and Population Changes

 

            The listing of the Leatherback Sea Turtle is in direct response to changes in their geographic range and population. Leatherback Sea Turtles have had a wide geographic range. From Alaska to Southern Africa, Leatherbacks have been spotted. However, it has been estimated that less than 2,300 of adult females currently roam the Pacific. In 1982, the global population was once estimated to be 115,000 female adults. Their population was then downsized to roughly 35,000 by 1996. In the Pacific and Indian Oceans, population declines have been intense. For instance, one nesting site in Malaysia went from having more than 3,000 females in 1968, then down to 20 in 1993, then to a meager 2 females in 1993. (World Wide Fund For Nature) Areas that were once home to clumps of nests have experienced a massive decline. Another cause for concern is the inconsistent number of nests. Nest populations can fluctuate as much as 4 to 81 in Palm Beach Florida and 4 to 60 on the Caribbean islands of Martin and St. Lucia, or as little as 0 to 1 in Indian River County Florida. (National Marine Fisheries Service)

Main Threats

            Some of the most harmful threats to the nesting environment of Leatherbacks are beach nourishment, increased human presence, and hatchling mortality. Beach nourishment refers to the manipulation of sand concentrations by humans. This management can result in an elevation of sand compaction or even the introduction of a different type of sand. This, in turn, causes a disruption of the Leatherback’s normal nesting conditions, both after the changes, and as the changes are being commenced. The presence of humans on nesting beaches can both influence the behavior of a nesting female

Leatherback and disorient her hatchlings. Female Leatherbacks are encouraged to nest elsewhere in sometimes less optimal locations for nesting. Human activities such as campfires can disturb hatchlings and disrupt their exit from
the nest. A large amount of Leatherbacks don’t even leave the nest. Some hatchlings succumb to the obstruction of roots within or above their nests. As they journey beyond their nests, some are distracted by artificial lighting or disregarded debris. Others are preyed upon by eagerly awaiting predators as they crawl toward the water. Once in the water, hatchlings are still subjected to risks. The main threats to Leatherback’s marine environment include entanglement at sea, ingestion of marine debris, and commercial fisheries. A fair amount of Leatherbacks become entangled in fishing lines and various other fishing traps resulting in them drowning. It has been reported that up to 89% of stranded

Leatherbacks in Cape Cod Bay were the result of entanglement as well 70% of Leatherbacks found by Newfoundland and Labrador coasts. They often mistake debris such as plastic bags for prey. The ingestion of abiotic items can interfere with normal functions of the gut, allow for the integration of toxic byproducts, and diminish the uptake of vital nutrients. Debris ingestion has been seen in almost half of the Leatherbacks whose stomachs have been examined worldwide. The offshore commercial shrimp fleet kills ¼ of the roughly 640 captured leatherbacks due to drowning while another portion of the sea turtles are likely injured as the capturers struggle to get them back into the water.    (National Marine Fisheries Service)

Description of Recovery Plan

            The recovery objectives for the Leatherback Sea Turtle include female populations increasing by at least 25% based on statistical evidence and placing nesting habitats that cover 75% of nesting activity in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Florida, and Puerto Rico into public ownership. The recovery plan strives to protect and manage habitats mainly by regulating coastal construction and various other activities that could manipulate and degrade the natural environment.  In order to protect and manage populations, the plan calls for regulations to be put in place to minimize human related threats as well as for data to be collected in order to direct effective action against threats that are not yet well understood. The education of the public and cooperation of other nations are intended to be achieved by distributing information regarding the plights of Leatherback Sea Turtles and developing international agreements meant to secure their protection. (National Marine Fisheries Service)

Personal Action

 

For more information on Leatherback Sea Turtle, visit

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/pdfs/recovery/turt le_leatherback_atlantic.pdf

If you’d like to donate, log onto

wwf.panda.org. 

Sources

"Leatherback Turtle." WWF. World Wide Fund For Nature, 2015. Web. 2 Dec. 2015.

"Recovery Plan for Leatherback Turtles in the U.S. Caribbean, Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico." Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, Washington, D.C., 1992. Web. 2 Dec. 2015.