Leatherback Sea Turtle Endangered Status Isn't Enough to Save its Dwindling Population

California wildlife authorities recently conducted a study that paved the way to implementing the unfortunate but most beneficial action regarding the condition of leatherback sea turtles. According to the Center for Biological Diversity or CBD, the reptiles species were labeled endangered through the state's Endangered Species Act. The experts pushed the implementation at California's Fish and Game Commission.

What are Leatherback Sea Turtles?

(Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region/ WikiCommons)

Dermochelys coriacea, or leatherback sea turtles, according to National Geographic, is a carnivorous reptile that lives on an average of 45 years and can grow up to 7 feet and weigh approximately 2,000 pounds earning it the title of the largest turtle on the planet.

Known as reptilian relics, leatherback sea turtles represent an ancient family of turtles that traces its roots back to more than 100 million years. Ages ago, the largest turtles were prevalent in almost all oceans except the Antarctic and Arctic; however, recently, their rapidly declining population across the globe has earned it a new status of 'endangered.'

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Recent Endangered Status Alone cant Save the Leatherback Turtles

Listing the leatherback sea turtles under the endangered group is the most effective initiative for the species due to their declining population recorded on the coasts of California. According to a study published in the journal Global Ecology and Conservation, titled "A long-term decline in the abundance of endangered leatherback turtles, Dermochelys coriacea, at a foraging ground in the California Current Ecosystem," there had been a 5.6 percent decline in the population of the leatherback sea turtles that was recorded in the past 28 years. This data contributes to the collective 80 percent drop of the leatherbacks in the local region and is considered the effect of the disappearances of the reptile's habitat and nesting grounds that are charted on the vast regions of the Pacific.

The number of leatherbacks in California has decreased by an average of 5.6% over the last 28 years, which adds up to an 80% drop in the local leatherback population.

The Western Pacific leatherback sea turtles migrate roughly 5,000 to 6,000 miles from where they nest in southeast Asia to the cool coastal waters of California every summer. Monterey Bay is a hotspot for the state's official reptilian marine where the turtles feast on jellyfish.

However, the turtle's gigantic flippers are at risk of getting wrapped in commercial fishing gear. The added weight, if entangled, spells certain doom and drowning for the world's largest turtle, reports The Mercury News. Experts believe that bumping up the status of the largest marine reptile isn't enough to safeguard its already rapidly declining population. US laws alone cannot ensure the continuity of the species. Hence, there should be a global collaborative awareness and effort in safeguarding the turtle's nesting areas, migration paths, habitat, and lifestyle.

The new decision puts pressure on the state of California to ensure coverage of state-regulated fisheries.