Green sea turtles, once on the brink of extinction, are now officially considered safe from the threat of disappearing.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) announced that the species has improved from endangered to least concern on its Red List of Threatened Species — a milestone achieved through decades of dedicated global conservation work.
“Conservation efforts have focused on protecting nesting females and their eggs on beaches, expanding community-based initiatives to reduce unsustainable harvest of turtles and their eggs for human consumption, curtailing trade, and using Turtle Excluder Devices and other measures to reduce the accidental capture of turtles in fishing gear,” the IUCN said.
According to the organization, global populations of green sea turtles have increased by about 28% since the 1970s. The species plays a vital ecological role as a keystone species in tropical marine ecosystems, maintaining the health of seagrass meadows and coral reefs while also holding cultural and spiritual importance to communities around the world.
Despite this encouraging recovery, experts warn that the reptiles are not entirely out of danger. “Despite this global improvement, green turtles remain significantly depleted compared to their abundance prior to European colonization and their widespread unsustainable use and trade in many parts of the world,” the IUCN noted.
The updated Red List, which tracks the conservation status of thousands of species globally, was unveiled during the IUCN World Conservation Congress this month. Established in 1964, the Red List remains the world’s most comprehensive database for assessing the health of animal, plant, and fungi populations.
