Thailand’s Endangered Turtles

Sea Turtles are among the oldest and most primitive groups of reptiles, spending the majority of their lives in the water. They are born on land and only ever return to land when the adult females need to lay eggs. These majestic creatures are strong, graceful swimmers using their flippers like paddles to glide through the ocean.

Although they rarely leave the ocean depths, they do need air to function and will break at the surface to breathe. These joyous creatures are known to allow divers close proximity and will stay unbothered as long as there is no threat and they are not frightened. 

There are only 7 existing species of Sea Turtle in the world, all labelled as threatened, endangered or critically endangered. 

Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)

With distinct features such as their tapered head that ends in a sharp point resembling a hawk’s beak, these turtles are quite easily identifiable. They are not particularly large in size and can grow to around 114cm in shell length plus 68kg in weight. Both male and female Hawksbills have a flattened body shape and a pair of claws adorning each flipper but males tend to have much longer claws, thicker tails and are somewhat brighter than their female counterparts.

Their hard shell protects them from predators but yet they do still fall prey to sharks, large fish and humans. With a life expectancy of 30-50 years, these reptiles are highly migratory and spend time in the open ocean, in lagoons and shallow reefs resting in caves or ledges. Every 2 years, the females are known to return to land and nest, laying their eggs in the sand. 

Hawksbills are omnivores, they eat sponges, soft coral, molluscs, marine algae, crustaceans, sea urchins, fish and jellyfish. 

Unfortunately, Hawksbill Turtles are labelled critically endangered due to unhatched eggs being hunted and eaten by numerous land-dwelling species including humans. Newly hatched Hawksbills often fall victim to several sea predators and adults are often killed for their flesh and their shells.  

Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas)

With green skin and brown/olive shells, the Green Sea Turtles certainly do live up to their name being the only herbivores among their species. Although the adults enjoy the taste of algae and various seagrasses, the juveniles tend to eat invertebrates like crabs, jellyfish and sponges.

The Green Sea Turtle is one of the largest sea turtles in the world and can weigh up to 300kg. They have a non-retractable head and a wide, smooth shell however the males are slightly larger than the females and also tend to have a longer tail. 

Unfortunately, the Green Sea Turtle is classified as endangered due to the overharvesting of their eggs, the loss of nesting beach sites by human encroachment and the hunting of adults. Many adults are found trapped in fishing nets, killed for their meat and their eggs whilst also suffering the effects of human pollution. 

Olive Ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea)

These warm-water lovers are named after their Olive coloured carapace. They have heart-shaped, slightly rounded bodies and are only roughly 2 feet in shell length, making them the smallest of all the turtle species.

The females are slightly more rounded than the males whereas the males have a longer, thicker tail however, both are virtually the same size. Olive ridleys are carnivorous turtles, eating jellyfish, sea urchins, snails, shrimp, crabs and rock lobsters.

Many females nest twice a year, laying up to 100 eggs or more at a time. They are the only species to gather together, migrate and come ashore to lay eggs all at the same time in a mass-nesting event called an arribada.

Although the Olive Ridley Turtle is known to be the most abundant of all sea turtles, they are still classed as vulnerable and are susceptible to many dangers. The adults frequently fall victim to sharks and humans whereas the juveniles often fall victim to birds, snakes and crabs. They have very few remaining nesting sites across the world and are often caught up in man-made fishing lines. 

Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)

Known for their thick, leathery skin and their dark blue, rubbery carapace, the Leatherback Turtle is the largest of all sea turtles. They can grow up to 7ft long and weigh over 2000 pounds.

They have a teardrop-shaped body and flexible shells, which looks very different to the other sea turtles who are all known to have hard, bony outer shells. Leatherbacks have large front flippers with no claws and dive deeper than any other sea turtle, staying under for up to 85 minutes at a time.

Their diet consists mainly of jellyfish but they will also eat sea urchins, squid, fish and molluscs. Reaching maturity at roughly 16 years old, these magnificent creatures are thought to have a lifespan of at least 30 years. 

Unfortunately, the greatest threat to Leatherbacks right now is human activity. Not only are they often slaughtered for their unique shells, meat and eggs but also being caught in fishing nets. Climate change is also having an increasing impact on their nesting sites too.