Teach your toddler the alphabet with the T is for Turtle T-Shirts, mugs, stickers, and more!
Marine turtles are caught worldwide, despite it being illegal to hunt most of the species in many countries.
A great deal of intentional marine turtle harvests worldwide is for the food industry. In many parts of the world, the flesh of sea turtles is considered fine dining. Texts dating back to the fifth century B.C. describe sea turtles as exotic delicacies in ancient China. Historically, many coastal communities around the world have depended on sea turtles as a source of protein. Several turtles could be harvested at once and kept alive on their backs for months until needed.
To a much lesser extent, specific species of marine turtles are targeted not for their flesh, but for their shells. Tortoiseshell, a traditional decorative ornamental material used in Japan and China, is derived from the carapace scutes of the hawksbill turtle. The use of marine turtle shells for decorative purposes is by no means limited to the orient, since ancient times, the shells of sea turtles (primarily the hawksbill) have been used by the ancient Greeks and ancient Romans. Various articles and ornaments used by the elite of these societies, such as combs and brushes, were from processed turtle scutes. The Moche people of ancient Peru worshipped the sea and its animals. They often depicted sea turtles in their art.
A sea turtle's senses are very sharp. However, all species of sea turtles are threatened or endangered. The leatherback, Kemp's ridley, and Hawksbill turtles are listed as critically endangered. The Olive ridley, and Green turtles are considered endangered, and the loggerhead is a threatened species. The Flatback's conservation status is unclear due to a lack of research data.
