Image by Laura Doucette
This is a guest article written by Photographers Without Borders Project Coordinator Laura Doucette, an Ecologist based in Hawaii.
Turtles and tortoises are like mystical creatures. In folklore and ancient stories, they are often portrayed as wise, intelligent old souls with spiritual, ancestral and magical qualities. This Is not surprising when you consider that sea turtles have been on the planet for over 75 million years and tortoises for more than 55 million years. They have seen and experienced far more than you or I and therefore, offer many lessons (if we listen).
Although turtles and tortoises are each very different species, World Turtle Day is dedicated to the recognition of the crucial roles of each animal within their ecosystem, as well as awareness for their protection and preservation on the planet.
Image by Laura Doucette
As resilient animals and a major part of ecosystem balance, turtles and tortoises are important for the planet for a multitude of reasons. Turtles are a keystone species in the sea, meaning they help control and manage prey populations naturally by feeding on jellyfish, crab, sea cucumber, corals, seaweed and seagrasses. By nesting on beaches, once the hatchlings emerge from their eggs the remaining shells and young that don’t survive nourish the ground, providing nutrients for coastal vegetation to grow strong roots which prevent erosion. Hatchlings that struggle to make it to the ocean become a source of food for seabirds and coastal mammals. If they do make it to sea, they can become prey for ocean predators too, contributing to the food cycle in two environments.
Tortoises, on the other hand, shape the ecosystem as they graze, dispersing seeds that grow into forests and they can travel up to 62 miles in one day, creating networks of biodiversity as they move.
Finally, turtles and tortoises are important to humans in many forms: culturally, spiritually, medicinally, and psychologically, to name a few. Across the globe, Indigenous communities revere sea turtles and tortoises as part of their cultures and may consider them representatives of ancestors or spirits. Shells have been used medicinally and practically in some cultures as dishes or carved into tools or ornamental pieces. People living in coastal communities also rely on turtle watching or diving for income and jobs. There are also emotional and psychological benefits to seeing a sea turtle or tortoise in the wild; something I learned when I saw my first honu or Hawaiian sea turtle.
Both turtles and tortoises face threats on land and at sea. With temperatures and sea levels rising, coral reef bleaching and die-offs, deforestation, pollution, leaching and chemical runoff infiltrating soils and water sources, and the increasing effects of human-Induced climate change, each animal is in a race for humans to restore balance.
Here Is how you can support turtles and tortoises in your community and around the world:
Reduce marine debris that may entangle or be eaten by sea turtles.
Reduce plastic use to keep our beaches and ocean clean.
Carry reusable water bottles and shopping bags and refrain from releasing balloons
Remove recreational beach equipment like chairs, umbrellas, and boats at night
Go Slow. Boat strikes are a serious threat to sea turtles, so slow down and steer around them.
DO NOT TOUCH THEM. Leave turtles and tortoises alone if you see them laying on the beach or on a hiking trail
Attend organized sea turtle watches that know how to safely observe nesting sea turtles.
Become a conscious and responsible seafood consumer by asking where and how your seafood was caught.
Contact your local sea turtle stranding network if you see a sick or injured sea turtle.
To avoid injury to sea turtles: watch for sea turtles in the water. Give them at least 50 yards of space.
If you see them closer put your engine in neutral to avoid injury.
Watch for schools of small fish or jellyfish, sea turtles could be nearby.
Wear polarized sunglasses to help you see animals better in the water.
Retrieve your mooring system (anchor and ball) before returning to port.
Never abandon fishing gear. Hooks, lines, or nets left in the water can entangle and kill sea turtles.
Use barbless circle hooks.
Recycle fishing line and discard your trash on shore in trash receptacles. Never leave garbage in the water.
Change fishing locations if sea turtles are in the area and show interest in your bait or catch.
Contact government officials and/or lobby and get involved to change laws to improve the health of the wildlife.
