HOW TO SAVE THE SEA TURTLES IN FLORIDA

Abstract

I mad a decision to write research paper from the topic of sea turtles in Florida. The decline of the number of sea turtles is a very serious problem in Florida. And, the causes of decreasing the sea turtles’ number are environment problems and humans. So, this paper discusses three solutions. The first one is that many biologists have to search the cause and than try to find right solution. The second one is that commercials and policies should be made by government. The third one is that the public tries to make good environment for sea turtles. In conclusion, a lot of living things are becoming insuperable so the government, biologists, and the public have to practice solution quickly.


When I was a teenager, I had an attachment to sea turtles more than any other kinds of animals after I saw a documentary about sea turtles on TV. Then, I choose this topic about sea turtles in writing class and I read several articles and books about it. Nowadays, a lot of creatures are in danger of extinction and sea turtles are also no exception. Then, this situation is happening more seriously and worse than before. According to Bayles (2004), the number of turtle’s nest is decreasing between36 percent and 38 percent in the USA every year. In addition, Seabrook states that Loggerhead sea turtles are the only sea turtle species to make nests regularly. Loggerhead sea turtles have been making 1,000 nests since 1989, but Loggerhead sea turtles had only 346 nests in April in 2004 at the Georgia beaches. Furthermore, the decreases of sea turtles’ numbers happened in Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Caribbean and Alabama. Especially, Florida is a home to several endangered animal species. Also, Florida is an important place to live for sea turtles because the sea turtles nest on the beach from April to September every year. The loggerhead one is the most sea turtle using the part of place for nesting in Florida. According to the Broward website, sea turtles are protected through Florida Statues by the United States Endangered Species Act of 1973. Also, the Broward website mentions, these laws state that: “No person may take, harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture or attempt to engage in any such conduct to marine turtles, turtle nests, and/or turtle eggs”(2004). Even though people translate the law into action, the number of sea turtles is decreasing every year. For example, when people are at the beach, they throw away a lot of trashes. Therefore, the sea turtles are still in dangerous situation in many ways. Most people like to go to the beach because they like to take a rest at the beach. Moreover, Florida is the famous place as a rest area to a lot of people. So, this fact threatens the living of the sea turtles in Florida. There are two kinds of causes in the decline of turtles. These are natural causes and unnatural causes by people. In fact, John E. Burris said, “A natural cause of decreasing of the sea turtle is predation, parasitism, diseases, and environmental changes etc.” (P.13). For example, Bayles mentions that half of ‘sea turtle nests’ were destroyed by summer hurricanes in Florida in 2004. Therefore, today we can not see a lot of sea turtles easier than former days in Florida. There are, however, also other causes such as the quality of the water, tide embankment, ‘other man-made structures’, fishermen killing them carelessly, and people stealing their eggs from their nests (Bayles, 2004). For example, people construct building in the sea. Also, people eat turtles. For these reasons there are no longer homes for the turtles. We are usually living without realizing the importance of the ecology. I plan on writing that is several ways to help sea turtles in Florida.
First, biologists have to search the cause that is decrease of sea turtles and they try to find a solution. According to the Bayles, Scientists do not know the cause but they suspect unnatural problems (2004). Therefore, they try to find main cause about decrease of the number of sea turtles. Also, biologists should worry about the problem about extermination. If the ecosystem is destroyed, people will have lots of troubles from this. When I read the book that title is ‘Decline of the sea turtles causes and prevention’, I know about the hatching of sea turtle. According to John E. Burris, during female turtles used to hatch ‘about 100eggs per clutch’, about 85% eggs are undisturbed and most hatchlings die in their first year in all probability (1990, p4). What do biologists should do the increase of sea turtles? Biologists should try to find the way that a lot of young turtles increase a survival rate for get out of the crisis of extermination.
Second, it should be make that is several advertisements and strong polices for cognition of the important of sea turtles to people by government. The blindness of the importance of the ecosystem effects the extermination of many species such as sea turtles, manatee and crocodile in Florida. So, I think that government should make several advertisements and strong polices which can perceive the importance of sea turtles. According to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune (Florida), “The Sarasota Country Commission is considering a small but necessary step: revising its turtle-protection ordinance to require that, nightly during the May-to-November nesting season, obstructions such as chair, benches and sailboats be removed from the beaches” (2004). And, I think that it is time to practice the ordinance well. In addition, government should make several commercials on TV and radio for sea turtles and other wildlife because TV and radio have a great effect. If people see a commercial about the importance of the sea turtles’ nest, they will act carefully on the beach in Florida. Because, they realize that is the importance of protecting sea turtles’ nest when people see the commercial. Also, if government makes a commercial that it is bad behavior eating the eggs of turtles and turtles to ecosystem, they will not eat the turtles and the turtles’ eggs anymore. Therefore, we can protect sea turtles by the several commercials and polices in Florida and other area.
Third, the public tries to use a lot of seas clean and they try to make a sheltered housing for good environment to sea turtles. The good quality of the water and clean beach is important thing to sea turtles because they live with sea and beach. In my opinion, the quality of water and beach can affect the condition of our health to use sea and beach. I think that protecting all living things health is the first way to live a comfortable life. As times passes, many living things are in danger are listed under the Endangered Species Act. And I heard that a lot of organisms are being exterminated quickly every year. Therefore, I think that we try to make good surroundings to sea turtles. The Seabrook states, “Less food would discourage nesting” (2004). So, I think that if people supply good quality food to sea turtles that live at the seashore and they do not use body oil while people into the water, sea turtles will have good food and the quality of water. And then, the number of turtles is going to increase more than before. Also, if people make several sanctuaries for sea turtles on the beaches, the seaside environment will return to the original state nearly. And sea turtles will escape from dangerous situation.
In conclusion, I argued that two kinds of cause about the solutions about the state of sea turtles: that there are two cases that are nature causes by environment and unnatural causes by humans. After I know that the serious causes that are decreasing number of sea turtles in Florida, The three kinds of people, that are the government, biologists, and the public, try to think how they can help sea turtles in Florida such as studying about cause, using commercials and polices, making several sanctuaries for sea turtles, and offering good environment. In addition, it is important that is an offer of information about importance of all living things and recognition about the importance of all creatures to people. If the sea turtle are extermination, food chain will be destroyed. And, the results appear in the ecosystem badly. And then, we can not live our lives as before. This situation will become insuperable so the government, biologists, and the public have to practice solution quickly.