Dangers to Sea Turtle Hatchlings

Dangers to the hatchlings on the beach

The amazing sea reptile which has seen ages and survived more than hundred million years is under the danger of becoming extinct. And in order to protect these sea turtles many precautions have been made.
The male and female turtles live in the marine and only the female comes to the sands of the beach to lay her eggs. Now a female sea turtle is capable of laying, more than one hundred eggs during a particular nestling season which is awesome, but only few of these little ones can hatch and reach home to the sea. This tragedy is because of the dangers they face during the period of hatching.

Because of the development in the tourism all beaches have seen ample amount of changes like crabs, birds, drifting the footprints, new buildings filled with flashy lights, like these there are so many factors affecting it. An adult sea turtle really finds it very difficult these days to dig a nest to lay her eggs, and after she lays she leaves them to hatch and moves back to the sea. At this period of time humans hunt these eggs to consume or to sell in restaurants as delicious egg food, and sure it is the favourite for many tourists. This is the main reason for this special sea reptiles becoming extinct. At times even some birds, huge crabs, of even animals like fox and dogs may eat and destroy them.

At last, when those poor little turtles hatch from the eggs and try to come to their home they face the next danger. Now these turtle hatchlings each have a sense to move towards the direction, where it is brighter and filled with light. And since they hatch usually in the nights the brighter side will be towards the sea and so the sea turtles easily find their way into their ocean home. But there arises a danger now, these days the artificial lights from the buildings in the beach houses are much brighter and so the turtle hatchlings get astray and go towards the artificial lights. They might also get distracted by the dazzling lights of the cars, or campfires and thus go away from the sea. This process of moving in the opposite direction to the sea is known as disorientation. And disorientation may lead to death of the little ones.

Trading of rare species of sea turtles has been banned. And a number of nestling beaches have been protected these days, even the young turtles are reared and lead into the sea. Sure, there is a beam of hope for these hatchlings, but only with our cooperation and care!!

Dangers to the hatchlings in the sea

Sea Turtles are marine reptiles which have survived in this world for almost hundred million years. But this species which had stood strong in so many decades is facing the danger of extinction. The sea turtle’s life starts when the female adult turtle digs her nests in the sandy beach and lays the eggs. But once the sea turtle’s hatchlings hatch they face many dangers before reaching their home, the sea, the dangers in the beach are they may be eaten by any birds, or giant crab, animals like dogs. The hatchlings might get attracted towards the artificial lights from buildings and cars and be mislead from the sea and be killed. And after successfully crossing all these barriers when at last they reach the sea, oh! They do have more dangers awaiting them in the deep blue ocean.

Once these hatchlings crawl out from their nests, after breaking the dangers in the beach reach the ocean they dive fast into the tide, start their journey into the sea. In the first twenty four to forty eight hours they reach the tide and the hatchlings start to swim vigorously without stopping almost continuously. And this Piece of time in their life, when the sea turtles go through continuous swimming activity is known as swimming frenzy. Now this behaviour of the hatchlings helps them to swim deeper into the sea where they are safe from being eaten by the sea predators like the shark and many other huge creatures of the sea. This is the first danger which the little hatchlings face in the sea life and swimming frenzy helps them to overcome this danger.

Next danger which the hatchling has to go through once they come home into the ocean is the polluted water. The clean ocean is now spoilt and polluted because of so many factors like spilling of oil and petroleum from industries and tanks offshore. And also the chemicals which are released into the sea from the fertilizers used in farms create pollution. When these hatchlings swim into such a polluted sea they are affected by so many infections, diseases and breathing problems too. This affects the young one and kills them. Even the trashes which are dumped in to the ocean by the human race create a great danger to these budding turtles.

This rich treasure of the oceans which has seen histories need to be cared and protected. So let us join our hearts to safeguard these little sea turtles!