Adopt a turtle
Every year, over 250,000 marine turtles drown, entangled in the fishing lines and nets that choke the worlds oceans.
There are seven species – hawksbill, leatherback, loggerhead, flatback, olive ridley, Kemp's ridley and green turtle - and at least six of the seven species are at risk of extinction.
CHOOSE A MONTHLY AMOUNT
Your adoption really helps
Animal adoptions like yours give a huge boost to our work. They help fund projects to work with local communities to monitor turtle movement and protect their habitat.
Protect these incredible animals and receive:
Cuddly toy
An optional soft toy to love forever.
Regular updates
Both Wild World and My Turtles magazines will keep you up-to-date three times a year.
Fact pack
Packed with facts, bookmarks and stickers.
A wonderful gift
Give a gift that will help protect the future of turtles and their habitats
Marine turtles are excellent navigators – they often migrate hundreds, even thousands of kilometres between feeding and nesting grounds. Male turtles never leave the sea, but females come ashore to lay eggs – amazingly to the same beach where they themselves hatched.
Threats
Fishing
Marine turtles need to get to the surface to breathe, and if they get caught up in nets and hooks, they can drown.
Habitat destruction
One of the main threats turtles face is the destruction of their habitats. Development along coastlines is destroying nesting beaches, making it impossible for female turtles to dig their nests.
Poaching
Turtles are also poached for their meat and shells, and nests are raided for eggs, which are seen as a delicacy in some cultures.
Climate change
Climate change is causing sea levels to rise, and increase the number, and the intensity, of storms. This will damage and destroy nesting beaches.
How we can help
We’re reducing the negative impact of fishing practices on turtles by promoting the use of less-harmful fishing gear – for example, ‘circle hooks’ instead of traditional ‘j’ hooks can reduce accidental capture of turtles by up to 80%.
We’re helping protect marine turtle habitats. For example, along the coast of east Africa we’re identifying important nesting sites and working with local people to help protect those beaches and the turtles that use them.
Your adoption and support will help us:
- reduce illegal fishing
- promote sustainable fishing practices
- expand and create Marine Protected Areas
- help local communities conserve and manage the natural environment
- achieve government agreements to ban commercial harvesting of marine turtles
- fund our other essential work around the world
Turtles have light, spongy bones that help them float.