Sea turtles are ancient animals on the earth. They have lived on the earth over some 200 billion years; they saw the dinosaurs survive and they saw them die (Velasquez-Manoff, 2007). Even though sea turtle can survive for a long time, they are in trouble in the current time. They have become one species of endangered animals. This is like a big dig in their very long existence on the earth. But it is a truth we need to face. Global warming that people made has threatened sea turtles. The problem is climate change. Temperature rising causes the sea turtle to be endangered because temperature is the important key to the gender of sea turtles’ babies (Hawkes, Broderick, Godfrey & Godley, 2006). Higher temperature will cause the sea turtles’ babies to be female. Male turtles will be fewer and fewer. Higher temperature also causes the sea to rise. Sea rising also destroys their habitats. There are fewer habitats for their incubation. Global warming also causes an unstable climate. There are more hurricanes and they are bigger in summer. They destroy everything, including the homes of sea turtles. So we need to notice that global warming actually causes sea turtles to be in danger of extinction, and find a method to save them. Human is also a murderer, killing sea turtles; fox is also a murderer, killing sea turtles (Canberra Times, 2007). The tourists and needs for food and medicines for humans cause sea turtles to have fewer habitats and be endangered.
Humans have responsibility to find some methods to save sea turtles and to stop global warming from being worse.
First, stopping increasing carbon dioxide is the major factor to improve the global warming. The greenhouse effect is the major factor that causes the earth to be warm. Greenhouse gases that contain water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and ozone keep the heat in the air. But there are more and more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, especially carbon dioxide. Humans’ activities put a lot of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, like all kinds of air pollution from cars, airplanes, and factories. The best way to reduce global warming is to cut CO2 emission. There is too much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and it absorbs heat, which makes our earth warmer and warmer. We have to stop global warming from being worse. We should take mass transit as much as possible because cars make exhaust gas in the air. According to Hershman & Foust (2007), “A study conducted for the American Public Transportation Association shows a single commuter, driving to work every day, can reduce carbon-dioxide emissions by 20 pounds a day - 4,800 pounds a year - by switching to existing public transportation” (par. 9). If everyone can drive cars less times, carbon dioxide that is produced by cars will decrease every year. So taking public transportation is an easy method for everyone to do something good for reducing carbon dioxide. Using new clean power should be a goal for every country, because thermal power plants will produce more waste gas in the air. These greenhouse gases will make this earth warmer and warmer. The government should play an important role in alleviating global warming because we need to maintain this beautiful earth for our next generation.
Next, making a new law will save the sea turtles. According to International Information Programs (New Law Aims to Help Other Countries Conserve Endangered Turtles, 2004), “Under the new law, sea turtles will be added to the list of species eligible for funding under the Multinational Species Conservation Fund. That fund supports on-the-ground protection, research, and education efforts” (par. 7) There is more money to do some research and save sea turtles. Humans are also murderers, killing sea turtles. According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) (Marine turtles - Threats, 2007), “Hunting and egg collection for consumption are major causes of the drastic decline in marine turtle populations around the world. Green turtles are caught for their meat, eggs and calipee. Calipee is the green body fat that has given the turtle its name and it is the main ingredient in turtle soup” (par. 4). Every year a lot of sea turtles are killed by commercial fishing. Humans catch sea turtles for specimens, food, and medicine. For Olive Ridley turtles, they have been caught for eggs and their skin used for leather production. Many sea turtles are also made as curios to tourists. According to Marine turtles - threats. (2007), “Marine turtle eggs are considered an aphrodisiac in some countries and eaten raw or sold as snacks in bars and restaurants” (par. 6). Many marine turtles are caught in an illegal way from the important sea turtle habitat. Shells of marine turtles are also very popular in some countries, like Japan. These countries will buy expensive shells of marine turtle product form other tropical countries. So these problems are still serious because most countries don’t make a law to protect the sea turtles. We sincerely appeal to every country’s government to pay attention to these problems and to make a law in order to protect these endangered animals. We don’t want them to be in danger of extinction because of humans’ needs. If humans don’t have any demands from sea turtles, we will decrease by one factor the causes of sea turtles being endangered.
Third, we have to establish a safe reserve for sea turtles. There are many threats from environment which humans destroy and change. In “Threats to Marine Turtles” the author claims, “Loss or degradation of nesting habitat resulting from erosion control through beach nourishment and armoring, beachfront development, artificial lighting, and non-native vegetation is a serious threat affecting nesting females and hatchlings” (par. 7). Current habitats of sea turtles are not good for sea turtles’ lives. Sea turtles have fewer and fewer habitats to live in. People establish new buildings on the beautiful beaches that sea turtles live on. They destroy the beaches to make places for vacationing. Sea turtles’ homes become scenic spots for tourism. People come to these beaches in order to see what sea turtles are like and how they live. But this action has influenced the habitats of sea turtles. Artificial lighting on the beach is also a big problem for sea turtles. Sea turtles will lose the right direction to the ocean and they need to spend more time to reach the ocean. Sea turtles need quiet and safe habitats to live in forever. The government needs to make a law and establish several beaches for sea turtles’ lives. The special reserve that is especially for sea turtles is necessary to keep sea turtles existing in this world.
Global warming actually is a big problem at the current time. Opponents claim that global warming is a natural phenomenon and it is just a big cycle of the earth’s life. They may be right, but if they are wrong, we do not have time to rescue ourselves from this serious problems. Humans must also be in danger of extinction. According to Brahic (2007), “Global warming may drive a quarter of land animals and plants to the edge of extinction by 2050, a major international study has warned” (par. 1). A lot of species are endangered in the future if this warming weather continues to get worse. Scientists do many kinds of research to prove that global warming actually threatens our daily lives. We can see a lot of data that points out that climate and the situation are different from before. Larger hurricanes appear, the sea is rising, and temperature is increasing more rapidly than before. The carbon dioxide is also increasing more rapidly than in past centuries. We believe this is a serious problem on this earth. We also need to spend time and money to do research and solve this problem. Even if it is a big cycle, we will just waste money and time. But if we do nothing at all and it is a real serious situation, then we will not have any chance to rescue our beautiful earth. Extinction of humans will be our ending.
In conclusion, sea turtles are endangered and they also need our help to save their lives because humans cause this situation. The habitats of sea turtles are not the same as a nice place where they live. Returning the original habitats is the first thing that we can do. Set a good reserve that no one can bother. We shouldn’t buy or eat any products that are made from these endangered sea turtle. We can stop these cruel commercial activities. Improving the situation of global warming will also allow is to save sea turtles and other endangered species, because sea turtles are sensitive to temperature change and have a crisis for their lives. And who is the next one to face this crisis? We think it will happen to human beings sooner or later. Saving sea turtles will also save our humans. If we can start to find some method to solve global warming problems, and also make some laws to protect sea turtles’ lives, our next generation will still be able to see sea turtles and we will exist on the earth for a long time.
References
Brahic, C. (2007, February 21). Male turtle populations crashing in the heat. NewScientist Environment. Retrieved October 29, 2007, from http://environment.newscientist.com/channel/earth/dn11227-male-turtle-populations-crashing-in-the-heat.html
Hawkes, L., Broderick, A., Godfrey, M. & Godley, B. (2006, January 29). Investigating the potential impacts of climate change on a marine turtle population. Global Change Biology. Blackwell Publishing Ltd. 13, 923-932.
Hershman, M. & Foust, R. (2007, November 11). To battle global warming, restore mass transit funding. The Mercury News. Retrieved November 30, 2007, from http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_7337755?nclick_check=1
Marine turtles – Threats. (2007, February 16). WWF(World Wildlife Fund). Retrieved October 30, 2007, from http://www.panda.org/about_wwf/what_we_do/species/about_species/species_factsheets/marine_turtles/marine_turtles_threats/index.cfm
New Law Aims to Help Other Countries Conserve Endangered Turtles. (2004, July 07). International Information Programs. Retrieved November 30, 2007, from http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2004&m=July&x=20040707103459ebyessedo0.9155847
Threats to Marine Turtles (n.d.). NOAA Fisheries. Retrieved November 30, 2007, from http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/turtles/threats.htm#marine
Turtle under siege as the environment. (2007, January 29). Canberra Times. Retrieved October 29, 2007, from http://www.lexisnexis.com
Velasquez-Manoff, M. (2007, June 21). Climate turns up heat on sea turtles. The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved October 23, 2007, from http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0621/p25s03-sten.html
Thursday, December 6, 2007
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