# Sea Turtle — Facts, Threats & Conservation

*Cheloniidae and Dermochelyidae (superfamily Chelonioidea)*

> Sea turtles are a group of seven species of large, long-lived marine reptiles whose conservation status ranges from Least Concern to Critically Endangered, with most species threatened by fishing bycatch, egg poaching, plastic pollution and coastal development.

**IUCN status:** Varies by species (Least Concern to Critically Endangered)  ·  **WARN range:** Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil, Pakistan

## Quick facts
| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Lifespan | Often 70+ years in the wild |
| Weight | 35 kg (Kemp's ridley) up to ~640 kg (leatherback) |
| Size | Shell ~60 cm to over 1.8 m by species |
| Diet | Varies: seagrass, algae, sponges, jellyfish, crabs and molluscs |
| Incubation | About 45 to 70 days in beach sand |
| Young | Roughly 50 to 130 eggs per clutch, several clutches a season |
| Baby name | Hatchling |
| Group name | A bale (collective term for turtles) |
| Top speed | Up to about 35 km/h in short bursts |
| CITES | All 7 species on Appendix I (no commercial trade) |

## Scientific classification
- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Reptilia
- **Order:** Testudines
- **Superfamily:** Chelonioidea
- **Families:** Cheloniidae and Dermochelyidae
- **Species:** 7 living species

## Conservation status
- **Status:** Varies by species: Least Concern to Critically Endangered
- **Population:** Not reported as a single global figure; assessed per species and per nesting subpopulation
- **Trend:** Mixed; some populations recovering (e.g. green turtle) while others decline
- **Assessed:** Green turtle reassessed 2025; other species assessed 2018-2024
- **CITES:** Appendix I (all seven species)
- The IUCN evaluates each sea turtle species, and often each regional subpopulation, separately. The hawksbill and Kemp's ridley are Critically Endangered, the loggerhead is Endangered, the leatherback and olive ridley are Vulnerable, the green turtle became Least Concern in 2025, and the flatback is Data Deficient.

## Key facts: Sea Turtle
- There are seven living sea turtle species, split between the hard-shelled Cheloniidae and the single leathery-shelled leatherback in Dermochelyidae.
- Conservation status varies sharply: the hawksbill and Kemp's ridley are Critically Endangered, the loggerhead is Endangered, the leatherback and olive ridley are Vulnerable, the green turtle was reassessed to Least Concern in 2025, and the flatback is Data Deficient.
- Accidental capture in fishing gear (bycatch) is the single largest threat to sea turtles globally.
- Egg poaching, plastic pollution, hunting and artificial beach lighting that disorients hatchlings add further pressure.
- All seven species are listed on CITES Appendix I, banning commercial international trade.
- Major nesting beaches lie in WARN partner countries including Indonesia, Malaysia and Brazil, where protection efforts directly affect survival.

## The seven species and how they differ
Six sea turtle species belong to the hard-shelled family Cheloniidae: the green turtle (Chelonia mydas), loggerhead (Caretta caretta), hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), flatback (Natator depressus), Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) and olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea). The seventh, the leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), is the sole member of Dermochelyidae and the largest of all, reaching well over 1.8 metres and 600 kilograms with a flexible, ridged carapace rather than a bony shell. Diets and habitats differ by species: greens graze seagrass and algae as adults, hawksbills feed on sponges among coral reefs, leatherbacks specialise in jellyfish, and ridleys and loggerheads take crabs, molluscs and other invertebrates. The Kemp's ridley is the rarest and most range-restricted, nesting mainly in the western Gulf of Mexico, while the flatback is confined to the Australian continental shelf.

## Why most sea turtles are threatened
The greatest single danger is bycatch: turtles drown or are injured when caught in trawls, gillnets and longlines set for other catch. On nesting beaches, eggs are dug up for food or sale, and females and juveniles are still hunted for meat and for hawksbill shell. Plastic pollution is lethal because floating bags and film resemble jellyfish, and ingested debris blocks the gut. Coastal development brings artificial light that draws hatchlings away from the sea toward roads and predators, while rising sand temperatures from a warming climate skew hatchling sex ratios toward females. Because turtles take decades to mature and return to specific beaches to nest, populations recover slowly and a single damaged nesting site can set a population back for years.

## Signs of recovery where protection works
Sea turtles show that sustained protection pays off. In October 2025 the IUCN reassessed the green turtle from Endangered to Least Concern after global nesting numbers rose by more than a quarter since the 1970s, driven by decades of beach protection, egg-collection bans and bycatch-reduction measures in countries including Mexico and Brazil. The downlisting applies to the species as a whole; several regional subpopulations, such as those in the Indian Ocean, remain threatened and still need active management. The lesson is consistent across species: guarding nesting beaches, removing turtles from fishing gear and keeping hatchling corridors dark can move a population from decline toward growth.

## The seven sea turtle species at a glance
| Species | Scientific name | IUCN status | Main diet |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Green turtle | Chelonia mydas | Least Concern (2025) | Seagrass and algae |
| Loggerhead | Caretta caretta | Endangered | Crabs, molluscs, invertebrates |
| Hawksbill | Eretmochelys imbricata | Critically Endangered | Sponges on coral reefs |
| Kemp's ridley | Lepidochelys kempii | Critically Endangered | Crabs and other crustaceans |
| Olive ridley | Lepidochelys olivacea | Vulnerable | Crustaceans, molluscs, jellyfish |
| Leatherback | Dermochelys coriacea | Vulnerable | Jellyfish and soft-bodied prey |
| Flatback | Natator depressus | Data Deficient | Soft corals, sea cucumbers, jellyfish |

## What WARN does
Several sea turtle species nest and forage along the coasts of WARN partner countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil and Pakistan. As a launch-stage network, WARN channels supporter funding to vetted local partners on these coasts to protect nesting beaches, relocate or guard vulnerable clutches from poaching, free turtles caught in fishing gear, and reduce hatchling-disorienting light near key beaches. This work is modest and partner-led at this early scale, and we report honestly on what each contribution makes possible rather than overstating reach.

Your gift helps WARN partners on nesting coasts in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil and beyond guard turtle eggs from poachers, free turtles tangled in fishing gear, and keep hatchling beaches dark so the next generation reaches the sea.

## Frequently asked questions: Sea Turtle
### How many species of sea turtle are there?
There are seven living species: the green, loggerhead, hawksbill, flatback, Kemp's ridley and olive ridley (family Cheloniidae) plus the leatherback (family Dermochelyidae).

### Are sea turtles endangered?
It depends on the species. The hawksbill and Kemp's ridley are Critically Endangered and the loggerhead is Endangered, while the leatherback and olive ridley are Vulnerable. The green turtle was reassessed to Least Concern in 2025, and the flatback is listed as Data Deficient.

### What is the biggest threat to sea turtles?
Accidental capture in fishing gear, known as bycatch, is the largest global threat. Egg poaching, hunting, plastic pollution and artificial coastal lighting that disorients hatchlings are also major dangers.

### What is the largest sea turtle?
The leatherback is the largest, reaching more than 1.8 metres in length and weighing up to about 640 kilograms. It is the only sea turtle without a hard bony shell.

### How long do sea turtles live?
Sea turtles are long-lived and many are thought to live well beyond 70 years in the wild, though exact lifespans are hard to measure and most species take decades to reach breeding age.

### Why do so few baby sea turtles survive?
Hatchlings face heavy predation from birds, crabs and fish, plus hazards such as disorienting lights and ocean debris. Estimates suggest only about one in a thousand reaches adulthood, which is why protecting nests and hatchlings matters so much.

## Sources
- [IUCN Red List of Threatened Species](https://www.iucnredlist.org/)
- [IUCN Red List - Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)](https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/4615/11037468)
- [Wikipedia - Sea turtle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_turtle)
- [NOAA Fisheries - Sea Turtles](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/sea-turtles)
- [CITES - Convention text and Appendices](https://cites.org/eng/app/appendices.php)
- [IUCN Marine Turtle Specialist Group](https://www.iucn-mtsg.org/)

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Full guide: https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/sea-turtle