How Does Pollution Affect Sea Turtles

All around the southeast U.S. Coast thousands of hatchling turtles emerge from their nests and enter the Atlantic Ocean. However, even at birth, sea turtles struggle with survival sometimes due to natural threats. Predators such as raccoons, crabs, and birds raid eggs and hatchlings. Sadly, the biggest threats to these majestic creatures are caused by humans. In many coastal communities, such as in Central America and Asia use sea turtles as a source of food, even though in many cultures, including these, sea turtles have spiritual or mythological importance. It doesn’t stop humans from using their meat and eggs as food however. For example, in Mexico, thousands of residents journey to Pacific coastal communities around Easter. During this

Pollution not only have an impact on the sea turtles themselves but also their food they eat. An example is how research suggests that a disease called fibro papilloma now killing many sea turtles may be linked to pollution in the oceans and in near shore waters. This human threat destroys feeding habitats for sea turtles due to the fact that pollution contaminates and kills aquatic plant and animal life. Estimated 36 percent of all marine pollution from all comes through drains and rivers from cities. Fertilizers are another huge marine pollutant. Farms and lawns cause runoff causing and explosion of algal blooms that can deplete the waters oxygen and suffocate marine life which is called eutrophication. Another cause of this is improper sewage disposal. Instead of pollutants becoming diluted and dispersed to safe levels, some toxins become more concentrated as the break down and enter the food chain. For example, plankton absorb those chemicals s they feed, then the chemicals accumulate in these animals’ bodies, which makes the toxins much more concentrated than in the surrounding water. These small animals are then consumed by larger animals, like sea turtles, which continue to increase concentration levels of chemicals and