Facts about Conservation of Leatherback Turtles

1. 05

   Artificial lighting on nesting beaches disorients leatherback hatchlings, causing them to move away from the sea rather than toward it, reducing survival rates.

   Conservation of Leatherback TurtlesJun 6sharethreatsbehaviorecology
2. 04

   Nest protection programs on key nesting beaches, such as those in Trinidad and Costa Rica, involve relocating eggs to protected hatcheries to improve survival rates.

   Conservation of Leatherback TurtlesJun 6shareconservationnestingwildlife
3. 03

   Bycatch in commercial fishing gear, particularly longlines and trawl nets, is one of the most significant human-caused sources of leatherback turtle mortality worldwide.

   Conservation of Leatherback TurtlesJun 6shareconservationthreatswildlife
4. 02

   Plastic bag ingestion is a leading threat to leatherback turtles, as they mistake floating plastic for jellyfish, their primary prey.

   Conservation of Leatherback TurtlesJun 6sharethreatsconservationmarine
5. 01

   Leatherback turtle conservation is complicated by the species' highly migratory nature, requiring international cooperation across nesting and foraging grounds spanning entire ocean basins.

   Conservation of Leatherback TurtlesJun 6shareconservationmarinewildlife