Over 1.1 million sea turtles poached in the last 30 years: Study

Category : Poaching | Location : Odisha  | Posted on 2022-09-13 02:03:02


Over 1.1 million sea turtles poached in the last 30 years: Study

More than 1.1 million sea turtles have been illegally killed and in some cases trafficked from 1990 to 2020, according to a new study. 

However, there has been a decline of 28 per cent in the poaching of marine creatures, with over 44,000 turtles targeted annually over the last decade.

The study, led by Jesse F Senko and Kayla M Burgher, was published in the journal Global Change Biology. The reptiles faced exploitation in 65 countries/territories and 44 out of the 58 marine turtle regional management units (RMU) in the world despite laws protecting the creatures. 

The sea turtle family includes the hawksbill, loggerhead, leatherback, green and olive ridley turtle. These five species are found worldwide, mainly in tropical and subtropical waters. 

The species that faced the most exploitation in the 30-year-period were green (56 per cent) and hawksbill sea turtles (39 per cent).  

Source: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/wildlife-biodiversity/over-1-1-million-sea-turtles-poached-in-the-last-30-years-study-84863