How to Protect Loggerhead Sea Turtles

The loggerhead sea turtles of the North Pacific and Atlantic are struggling for their very existence. With a population decline of 80 percent as of 2009, the loggerheads of the North Pacific face the prospect of extinction by the halfway point of this century. Their cousins in the Atlantic are in danger as well, as their nesting is down more than 40 percent. People are encouraged to get involved now to create more awareness of the loggerheads' plight.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Petition Donations Signs and posters Legal counsel

Organize a campaign aimed at protecting loggerheads

1. Hold meetings to provide information about loggerheads. Give facts in terms of population and why the loggerhead population is declining.

2. Recruit like-minded individuals who share the same passion. The more people committed to helping the loggerheads, the more effective your campaign to protect them will be.

3. Seek out fishermen who repeatedly break the international fishing treaties. Many loggerheads get trapped in nets aimed at catching other types of marine life. Putting pressure on them or even filming them in the act can lead to a more rigid adherence to the rules.

4. Find areas that loggerheads prefer to nest and push for these places to become protected. Contact the local authorities, sign petitions and, if need be, organize a protest.

5. Raise money to create a non-profit organization and seek syndication. This will provide a base for further action.

Tips & Warnings

• Be careful not to take your politics to an extreme. Sabotaging fishermen or holding violent protests is counter productive to the cause and can lead to time in jail.

References

• The Center for Biological Diversity