Sea Turtles of Okinawa
Sea Turtles
Species in Okinawa
Loggerhead Sea Turtle
Green Sea Turtle
Hawksbill Sea Turtle
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Sea Turtle Sightings
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Plastic Bags
Sea turtles mistake plastics bags as food like jellyfish and ingest them. This causes blockages within their digestive system and eventual death.
Straws & Forks
Plastic straws and reusable utensils often get stuck in the nostrils of sea turtles, causing difficulty breathing and potential death.
Plastic Trash
Hundreds of thousands of sea turtles & marine mammals, and more than 1 million seabirds die each year from ingestion or entanglement in marine debris.
Fishing Gear
Abandoned fishing gear, including lines, nets, buoys and hooks, are very dangerous to sea turtles as they often get caught in them or swallow them.
Balloons
Most balloons are falsely marketed as biodegradable latex. Sea turtles often ingest them and die from not being able to digest them.
FIBROPAPILLOMAS
FP causes cauliflower-shaped tumors on soft parts and internal organs of sea turtles. The cause is believed to be linked to ocean pollution and global warming.
Metals & Toxins
Toxic metals may concentrate in the liver and kidneys of sea turtles. Chronic exposure to pollutants makes sea turtles susceptible to disease and death.
Bekko & Poaching
All sea turtles species are at risk of illegal trade for their meat, eggs, or shell. Hawksbill is especially popular as its shell is made into bekko.