How YOU can help save our marine wildlife!
Will YOU help protect our endangered marine wildlife?
Prepare for a splash kids, because we’re about to embark on an ocean voyage to save our marine wildlife from extinction!
We’re focusing on two of our favourite sea species – turtles and seahorses. Sadly, these cute creatures are endangered, but with a little help from our friends at the Marine Conservation Society, we’re going to show you exactly what you can do to help save these incredible creatures.
Turtles in trouble
Turtles have been swimming in our oceans for at least 110 million years! But sadly, human activities threaten turtle populations all over the world. All seven species are included on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Endangered Species.
What are the threats?
- – Turtles can easily become tangled up in gill nets and fish traps set inshore close to the nesting beaches. The nets aren’t there to catch turtles, but they can often get caught in massive drift nets, or hooked on longlines set for tuna and swordfish by mistake.
- – Marine turtles depend on a variety of habitats at sea, as well as the all-important nesting beaches. Sadly, these beaches are under pressure to develop by the tourism industry, making it difficult for turtles to breed.
- – Ocean pollution is harming turtles and their habitat. Chemical pollution, such as oil spills, can harm the turtles and contaminate their environment. Litter such as plastic bags pose a threat to baby turtles who mistake them for food like jellyfish. Turtles can’t digest plastic and this can harm them and even kill them.
How can I help?
If we don’t act now to change the way we treat marine turtles and their habitat we may lose some populations forever.
Through Adopt-a-Turtle you can help us support research and conservation projects around the world working hard for a better future for our marine turtles.
Seahorses are suffering
They may look like tiny horses, but seahorses are actually fish! Two seahorse species are found around the British coastline – the Spiny Seahorse and the Short Snouted Seahorse – and there are more than 40 species worldwide. They’re the only species on earth in which the male falls pregnant and carries the babies. Seahorses live in shallow weedy areas, especially eel grass beds. In winter they move into deeper waters to escape the rough weather. Sadly, seahorses are another marine species that faces threats of extinction.
What are the threats?
- – Over 150 million seahorses are taken from the wild for the traditional Chinese medicine trade.
- – Around one million are taken from the wild to be sold as souvenirs. Along with shells and starfish they are taken from the sea and left to die in the sun.
- – The pet trade takes around one million seahorses from the wild for aquaria. Most will not survive and will die in captivity.
- – Current fishing practices such as beam trawling are detrimental to seahorses, who can easily get caught in their nets.
How can I help save our marine wildlife?
- – Encourage friends and family not to buy dried seahorses as souvenirs when they go abroad
- – Support volunteer divers who monitor seahorse colonies around the UK.
- – Check out Adopt-a-Seahorse, which supports research and conservation projects around the world that are working hard for a better future for seahorses.
Did you enjoy this article? Let us know your thoughts, in the comments below!
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Save the wildlife don’t care how you do just do it
Let's Take Action!
Even I will help save the marine wildlife species
wow
Wow
wow
Sad the poor animals
lets save the ocean fast
lets all save the ocean together
action
Awsome!
Another major threat is plastic straws!!!
cool!
nice
I need to help the turtles and sea-horses
lets take action
Let’s take action
cool
dont throw bags away recycle plastic bags and dont throw paper away reuse papper and cardboard boxes reuse them I dont belive in wasting I want annimals to live. I belive any animal that lives in the wild they shouldn't have to live in fear they should be able to live in the wild without there homes beying destroyed. #help wild life
:( I’ll help!
plastic pollution needs to stop!
My family and i are going to Lady Elliot Island next year, and the money we spend there will help the turtles!
this is serious, i want to have a future working with (and hopefully saving) animals. i will definitely adopt a turtle.
we need to take action on this problem i know when i grow up i am going to be a marine biologist to help conserve these beautiful animals and their homes will you?
we need to take action so these beautiful species can live another day
stop the plastic
I'm going to follow your advise and start help the wildlife!
If there is no sea life theirs no ocean
People may say we must adopt them however that is not their true habitat.All sea life that can sustain itself should be put back into the Ocean where it can be free and live longer. We are destroying are planet and need to fix it Immediately.
Wow! I love those facts.I never knew that male sea horses are the ones who are pregnant! And had no clue that the turtles are an endangered species!
I never knew these animals were so endangered.
I LOVE SEA LIIIIIIFFFFFEEEE!!!!!!!!
i will help them when i grow up
poor little turtles
seahorses & turtles are my fav sea animals
SAD
I love both those animals and want to be a marine conservationist when Im older!
I did not know turtles had been on the go for110 yers.
Nooooo! Not the baby sea turtles they are to cute
Wow turtles are my favorites
awesome thought about turtles!!
turtle are cool
I love turtles especially babys
Im super sad to know why people dont try to help
poor turtles and seahorses
we should save sea turtles. we should not pollute the oceans and seas we should protect the sea turtles
cool
We do need to save an animal.
Brilliant Facts! I want to adopt a turtle or seahorse.
I never knew that turtles has been swimming in the marine for 110 years.
i really want to adopt them! and it is very sad that they are endangered
poor turtles! How else can I help
I have met seahorse and turtles they are so amazing its such a shame that they are going extinct
I love this website its amazing Wow
I think this is a brilliant idea thank you
Woah. Didnt realise THAT.
NICE
awesome
save da cute animals
STOP THE SUFFERING HELP AND SAVE THE SEA HORSES AND TURTLES AND OTHER ENDANGERED ANIMALS
Happy bday
Tell us more on how to protect wildlife! You see, I want to save the world when I grow up from all the damage were doing to the beautiful planet we have. This may seem silly, but that is my ambition and no-ones going to stop me.
hi whats up
its cool that we help them
It doesnt tell how we can help sea turtles. =(
I love animals!
I think that it is a great idea even though I have not ever seen a turtle or a sea horse but u have to try it,
I think that it is a great idea even though I have not ever seen a turtle or a sea horse but u have to try it,
lets save he poor creatures from extinction!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lets take responsibility
We need to help animals that are endangered or almost extinct. We need them to have at least another Christmas. And Merry Christmas
I would love to help these innocent creatures and there are so many interesting facts on here that I could learn from and Im only ten
i love it!!!!!!!!!wish i could adopt.but sooooooooo coooool!!!!!!!
Turtles I LOVE .GO TURTLES!!!
CUSTOMIZE YOUR AVATAR