Green sea turtles are in need of protection

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Eighteen rescued green sea turtles were released off the coast of Xiamen, east China's Fujian Province, by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs on Tuesday. For creatures who spend most of their lives in the sea, it was a chance to return home.

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The green sea turtle, also known as green turtle or black turtle, has an olive or black colored shell. It's named for the green color of the fat beneath its carapace. Scientists believe green turtles' vegetarian diet of seagrass and algae contributes to their greenish fat.

A green turtle (Chelonia mydas) swims underwater. /VCG Photo

As the lawnmowers of the sea, green turtles play an important role in maintaining a balanced ecology. After seagrass beds are grazed by green turtles, they become better habitats for many fish species, which increases biodiversity.

A green sea turtle is cleaned by yellow tangs and lined bristletooth tangs. /VCG Photo

Like other sea turtles, green turtles have to travel long distances between their feeding grounds and nesting beaches. Along the migration route, "hitchhikers," such as barnacles an other small crustaceans, are carried to distant places.

Green turtle hatchling. /VCG Photo

Sadly, the green turtle is on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. And it has been listed as a Class II protected species in China since 1988. Experts estimate that there are less than 2,000 adult sea turtles in the South China Sea, which means green turtles are fewer. Some are calling for the elevation of the green sea turtle to Class I.

"At present, the global sea turtle population is in a state of persistent decline, while in China, increased human activities, overfishing, marine pollution, and other factors reduced the population of sea turtles more severely," said Chen Fang, deputy secretary-general of the National Aquatic Wildlife Conservation Association.

Besides, global warming also threatens green turtles' existence. Given that the incubation temperature of sea turtle eggs decides their sex, more female sea turtles are born as a result of the rising temperature. In Queensland's north, there are no male green turtles being born because of warmer weather.

Green sea turtles hatching from a nest in Indonesia. /VCG Photo‍

Although the capture, purchase, sale, transport, possession, and use of sea turtles is illegal in China and some other countries, the global demand for their meat, eggs and other products remains high. It's necessary to increase public awareness of sea turtles' importance in the sea.

To protect sea turtles, China has established turtle habitat nature reserves in Huidong County, Huizhou City, in south China's Guangdong Province, and Sansha City, in south China's Hainan Province. The Qilianyu Protection Station has increased the number of sea turtle nesting areas from 52 in 2014 to 152 in 2016, which is of great importance for the continuation of the species.