For 150 million years our planets ancient mariners have been the sea turtles. Currently there are eight species and each one once abundant are threatened or in some level of endangerment. Indifference of humankind as well has hunting and development have caused this alarm that some of these turtle species may not survive.
These eight species are killed for meat and leather, their eggs are taken for food and aphrodisiacs. Their nesting sites are eliminated by development. They are poisoned by pollution, strangled by trash and drowned by fish line and net and run over by pleasure boats.
All sea turtles must leave their watery world and come to shore to lay eggs. In one nesting season 20 to 30 million eggs might be laid. Assuming no human interference only 4 to 8 percent will hatch. However throughout South America egg poaching is a living for so many. A dozen eggs can bring more than two dollars a dozen. Bars purchase turtles eggs and serve them raw because the patrons believe they make one stronger.
Costa Rica poachers can turn the beach into a green turtle slaughterhouse. The beach can be riddled with bones with no turtle surviving the mass genocide. The green turtle’s meat is so delicious perhaps because it is a vegetarian. A creature tasting this good and one so easy to catch once on shore to deposit her eggs and one that returns every year at the same time has little chance at the hands of poachers.
Many conservation programs are now in practice throughout the world with some limited success. But the problem is so vast and poachers so inventive that success moves ever so slowly.
