The Role and Challenges of Sea Turtles in Marine Ecosystem

Sea turtles, comprising seven species, including the leatherback, green, loggerhead, and hawksbill, play a vital role in maintaining marine ecosystem health. These species contribute to ecological balance through behaviors such as grazing on seagrass and regulating sponge populations in coral reefs. However, sea turtles face significant threats across all life stages due to human activities, including habitat destruction, pollution, climate change, and bycatch in fishing gear. Rising global temperatures disrupting nesting patterns and skew sex ratios, while coastal development reduces safe nesting sites. Marine plastics pose further dangers through ingestion and entanglement. Conservation efforts, by global agreements such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and regional programs, are essential to protect these species and their habitats. Understanding behavior, and ecological roles of sea turtles is crucial for developing effective conservation strategies. Protecting them ensures the support of the resilience of ocean ecosystem.