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USGS · 70209416

Sea turtle conservation: Priorities for environmental education efforts

Jessica E. Swindall·Holly K. Ober·Margaret Lamont·Raymond R. Carthy
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Abstract

All five species of sea turtle that occur in Florida are in danger of extinction. Many of the reasons these turtles are declining are a result of people’s actions on beaches and in shallow waters. Environmental education is needed to increase awareness and appreciation for sea turtles, and to teach about the potential harmful impacts human behaviors can have on these animals. This document describes topics that are frequently misunderstood and discusses common human actions that are harmful to sea turtles, providing insight on which topics could be addressed during environmental education efforts.

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90° N90° S · 180° W ← longitude → 180° E
Source-reported bounding extent: 24.546468° to 31.000682° latitude; -87.634938° to -80.031362° longitude. This indicates report coverage, not an exact sampling location. View area on OpenStreetMap.

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Jessica E. Swindall, Holly K. Ober, Margaret Lamont, Raymond R. Carthy. 2020. Sea turtle conservation: Priorities for environmental education efforts. https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/70209416

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USGS2020

Sea turtle conservation: 10 ways you can help

Five species of sea turtle rely on Florida’s coastal and nearshore habitats for nesting during the summer months and foraging throughout the year (Figure 1). - Loggerhead turtles, named for their large, block-shaped heads with strong jaw muscles for crushing benthic invertebrates, are the most common sea turtle species on Florida’s nesting beaches. They nest on beaches throughout much of the state. - Green turtles are unique among sea turtles in that they are largely vegetarian, and can be spotted foraging in seagrass meadows. - Leatherbacks, the largest species of sea turtle, are different from other turtles in that they are covered with a somewhat flexible “leathery” shell, rather than a hard shell. Leatherbacks can be seen in Florida’s coastal waters, but nest much less frequently in the state than loggerheads and green turtles. - Kemp’s ridley turtles are the smallest and most endangered marine turtle. They can be seen foraging in nearshore areas, but rarely nest on Florida’s beaches. - Lastly, hawksbill turtles are named for their pointed beak. They are mostly tropical but occasionally appear in the southernmost waters of Florida and very rarely nest in the state.

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