Alligator Pond WIldlife Preserves
WHY ARE SEA TURTLES ENDANGERED?
Though turtles literally wear a suit of armour, they are fragile creatures that need additional protection – more so from us, by us. Their existence is threatened at every single life stage, mainly by:
- Slaughter for their meat, eggs, skin for leather, and shells for ornaments
- Habitat destruction by uncontrolled coastal development
- Being captured or harmed by fishing gear
- Pollution
- Climate change altering sand temperatures, which affects and skews the gender ratio of hatchlings
Our Initiatives save critically endangered wildlife from habitat loss.
Our mission is to secure a future for turtles and to sustain the beauty and ecological integrity of the places they live; to promote man’s delight in their intelligence and the diversity of their world, and to develop a tolerant relationship between the two species.
Why Turtles Are Important
Turtles are fast disappearing from the wild. Without urgent, international action they could be gone within a generation.
Regulate body Temperature
When turtles bury themselves, they are trying to regulate their body temperature. Turtles are ectothermic, which means they rely on their environment to regulate their body temperature. By burying themselves in the sand, they can cool off when it is hot and warm up when it is cold.
Do turtles travel in Groups?
Many turtles do travel in groups. Some migrate to the same place as their family, while others are solitary. Some turtles gather for mating, while others simply travel together to lay their eggs. In these cases, turtles also team up to protect their eggs. Then, the hatchlings follow suit.
Do turtles Swim?
Yes, turtles can swim. They have webbed feet and a streamlined body structure that helps them in swimming. While swimming, they extend their legs that have the webbed feet to paddle themselves through the water.
Become a Sponsor
Turtles are fast disappearing from the wild. Without urgent, international action they could be gone within a generation.
During 2011 alone, roughly one of every twelve Caribbean turtle was killed or neglected.