Why Save Sea Turtles?
Many people have heard about the plight of sea turtles: that their populations have been decimated, and that they are endangered species. What is often not appreciated is that among the many reasons for conserving these marine reptiles, there are explanations that are valid even to "anti-environmentalists."
Sea turtles have been used for local consumption since time immemorial, providing food (oil and protein) as well as other commodities (bone, leather, and shell) to coastal peoples around the world. Their prominence as trade items and sources of foreign exchange dates back millennia, whether it was: calipee (the cartilage used for making turtle soup), leather, live turtles, or tortoise shell that was traded.
What's more, during the past three decades sea turtles have become very important for non-consumptive uses: tourism, educational and scientific research, each of which provides opportunities for employment and information services, as well as other economic and cultural benefits.
A less apparent, but irreplaceable value of these reptiles is as ecological resources. They are unique components of complex ecological systems, the vitality of which provides for exploitable products (including fishes, mollusks, and mangroves) as well as "ecosystem services" (such as stabilizing coastal areas and facilitating nutrient flows through specialized marine ecosystems). Because many sea turtles disperse and migrate over thousands of kilometers and take 30 to 50 years to mature, they are important indicators of the health of coastal and marine environments on both local and global scales.
In addition to their obvious value as material resources, these animals also have immeasurable worth as cultural assets. All of the world's tropical oceans host societies that have traditionally held sea turtles as central elements in their respective customs and beliefs. Traditionally, to be an Arawak in Guyana, a Bajun in Kenya, a Concaac ("Seri") in Mexico, a Miskitu in Nicaragua, a Tahitian in Tahiti, or a Vezo in Madagascar, is to hunt, exploit, and revere sea turtles. In industrialized societies these reptiles also serve a special function; with their charismatic nature and intriguing life cycle, they are ideally suited for educational and research activities. Even so, scientists are only beginning to uncover some of the secrets of these fascinating animals.
As a result, sea turtles are model "flagship species" for both local and international conservation; by focusing on these charismatic animals and their habitats, vast areas of the planet have to be taken into consideration, and managed adequately. In a word: sea turtles are "ambassadors of the oceans", for conserving these animals means protecting the seas and coastal areas, which in turn means protecting a complex, interconnected world on which human societies depend.
From: Frazier, Jack. 1999. Community Based Conservation. In: K. L. Eckert, K. A. Bjorndal, F. A. Abreu-Grobois and M. Donnelly (eds.) Research and Management Techniques for the Conservation of Sea Turtles. IUCN/SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group Publication No. 4. pp. 15-18.
