Today is World Turtle Day! Turtles are very different from sharks, but since sea turtles live in the same habitat as sharks, they face many of the same threats. One of the biggest threats that sea turtles face is being caught as bycatch. Gillnets, longlines, and many other fishing methods often catch or entangle turtles unintentionally. Some fisheries have made great progress with this, and have installed devices to keep turtles out of their nets, but many fisheries still catch turtles. Sharks are also caught frequently as bycatch, as are other animals, like dolphins and seals. Bycatch is a huge threat to ocean wildlife. Sea turtles also suffer due to loss of habitat and plastic pollution. Plastic bags resemble jellyfish, the favorite snack of many sea turtles. Ingesting plastic, or getting entangled in it, will kill a turtle. Filter feeding sharks, like whale sharks, also ingest large amounts of micro plastics. Sea turtles are also poached so that souvenirs can be made out of them. Anything from boots to taxidermy and bracelets made of their shells. Ocean animals all share many threats due to human activity, and things like bycatch, plastic pollution, and unsustainable wildlife products are all issues that should be discussed! •••••••••••••••••••••••• #worldturtleday #seaturtle #greenseaturtle #oliveridleyturtle #leatherbackturtle #kempsridleyseaturtle #hawkbillturtle #turtle #turtles #reptiles #conservation #bycatch #plastic https://www.instagram.com/p/BxzjWOuh4K_/?igshid=1c4hdtcgxwnx0
