Reversing global causes of juvenile recruitment loss as a means to recover endangered freshwater turtles

Turtles are among the most imperilled vertebrate groups, with over 50% of the world's turtle species at risk of extinction due to a range of environmental and anthropogenic challenges. Despite the apparent persistence of many turtle species owing to their long adult lifespans, high early-life mortality can contribute to population declines by disrupting juvenile recruitment and preventing the replacement of aging adults. For long-lived species that are already slow to recover from declines, reduced recruitment can further delay population recovery, underscoring the need for continued research in this area. Preventing further turtle extinctions requires targeted conservation across all life stages, yet efforts are hindered by gaps in understanding the drivers of recruitment failure and the most effective management strategies. Common threats to recruitment include predation and climate change pressures; however, less-frequently cited factors, such as environmental contamination and food availability, may also play significant roles. For recruitment-enhancing strategies like nest protection, habitat restoration, and predator management to be effective, they must be tailored to the most pressing threats facing the managed turtle population and designed to align with available resources. Strategies should be both feasible to implement and scaled appropriately to match the severity and extent of the threats they aim to address. Integrating targeted interventions to mitigate recruitment loss with broader conservation efforts - such as improving food availability and reducing human impacts - is critical for reversing population declines and ensuring long-term species persistence. Here, we synthesise current knowledge on the barriers to juvenile recruitment, evaluate the efficacy and limitations of existing conservation measures, and identify critical priorities for future research and management.