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Sea Turtle
Some of the sea turtles have been cruising the oceans for well over a hundred years. In recent years however the long line trolling nets that fishermen are using to strip the seas of sea life have killed so many of these as well as other creatures. Some dedicated people have devoted their whole lives to ensuring the survival of sea turtles. Because man has taken so much of the earth there are very few places where these animals can nest their eggs.
Green sea turtles are hunted for their meat, their eggs (both for food and as an aphrodisiac), and for "calipee" (cartilage found in the plastron or front shell) which is used to make soup.
Ridley sea turtle eggs are collected in great numbers. Adult Ridleys are hunted for meat, even though the small Ridley only grows to 72 cm in length. Only 40 years ago, tens of thousands of nesting Kemp?s Ridleys, known as "arribadas" nested on the eastern shores of Mexico. Today only a few are seen in the same area?a result of animals and humans overharvesting the eggs.
Hawksbills are valued for their beautiful shell, used to make "tortoiseshell" combs and jewellery. These turtles are also known as "carey". They are hunted for their eggs, calipee, and their forequarter skin which is made into leather.
Leatherbacks are prized for their leather, as well as their eggs. Unfortunately, the myth that they are inedible is false; they are hunted for meat in many parts of their range. The food the leatherback eats poses another threat. These turtles feed on jellyfishes, which can look a lot like discarded plastic. These sea turtles die when they eat the plastic because it blocks their digestive tract.
Many sea turtles drown when they are caught in fishing nets and shrimp trawls. The nesting habitat of all species of sea turtles is disturbed or destroyed by humans. The nesting period is a dangerous time for turtles, eggs, and hatchlings. Humans are not the only threat.
Loggerheads must contend with raccoons, the severest predators of eggs. Loggerheads nest the furthest north of all the sea turtles, as far as North Carolina
