Essay
in elective subject:
Wild life ecology and management
Topic:
Extinction of Caretta-Caretta
By Christina Doukaki
(student of the 2nd year of vet.med.)
Nowadays, the matter of animal extinction has become one of the most concerning subjects in our planet. A lot of animals are leaning towards extinction, which sets our ecosystems in danger, but most important the loss of a quit big variety of such peculiar species, without return.
One such species is Caretta-Caretta, a marine turtle visiting
|
KINGDOM |
PHYLUM |
SUBPHYLUM |
CLASS |
ORDER |
SPECIES |
| Animalia |
Vertebrata |
Gnathostomata |
Anaspida |
Chelonia |
Caretta-Caretta |
Caretta-Caretta is a marine species turtle (as mentioned), leaving on Earth since the dinosaurs ages, resembling in all features the common marine turtles by having a bony shell and fin-like front legs, adapted for swimming.
To be more precise, Caretta’s-Caretta’s distinctive features are the red-brown bony shell, measuring 70-210 cm and its big protrusive head.
Its average body weight is 135 kg, making it a quite heavy animal and with its bony shell length, a large too, that someone could think of.
It lives in temperate hypo tropic climates, which makes it a migrating
species. It visits South-East U.S.A,
Caretta-Caretta is living by eating small crabs and mollusks. The egg laying period is at the end of May till the middle August.
It lays its eggs, about 100-120, at the beach, near the sea water and covers them with sand, in order to be in a safe and warm place for hatching. Each egg has the size of a tennis ball and stay under the sand for 55 days.
When the young turtles hatch from the eggs and arise from their hiding place, usually at night, they try to run as fast as they can towards the sea, which takes them in by its flow and so, makes them join their natural instincts and for sure, enjoy their natural skills!
It is believed, that this whole process is influenced by the reflection of moon light on the sea water!
Unfortunately, the Caretta’s-Caretta’s eggs are destroyed or eaten, which leads to a big decrease in their density population.
Foxes, rats, raccoons may eat the eggs in the beaches and sea-gulls and big fishes in the sea.
Though, such actions are understandable among the animal kingdom, but what about the human actions?
Some of the disastrous and disadvantageous situations on Caretta’s-Caretta’s living are:
- Bright lights, placed on the beaches, which prevent the turtles to come out of the sea and lay their eggs and also confuse them by taking the wrong directions!
- Tourists, which by visiting the beaches, in which Caretta-Caretta lays it’s eggs, destroy their nests either with deck-chairs or by riding on bikes or even by compressing the sand (It has being found out, that if a tourist, makes by chance a hole in the nest and brake an egg, all the others will also be destroyed!)
- Planting of trees and bushes is also a preventing factor.
- Pollution of sea water-Ecosystem destruction.
- Fishing tools e.g. fishing nets, on which the turtles can be trapped.
- Tubs on sea water and on the beaches.
- The construction of building blocks and houses near the pointed beaches.
- Vandalism, which leaves big question marks.
All these factors can not be considered as understandable. On the other hand, can be considered as selfish and egocentric, which the two parameters are always guiding human on making what is best for him and not to the environment.
The scientists of the “Association for the protection of the marine turtles (APXEΛΩN)” make their best for the protection of Caretta’s-Caretta’s nests and their continuous survival on Greek seas.
Though, without the collaboration of all people, the decreasement on the Caretta’s-Caretta’s population will continue, until the final extinction will set!
Scientists found out that under all the situations, only the 10 turtles, out of the 120 eggs; reach adulthood, which is a very sad number!
(References:
Encyclopedia: PAPIR LAROUS BRITANICA
Internet: http://www.United-hellas.gr/tourism/Zakynthos/info2-gr.htm
http://www.ornithologiki.gr/life/pylos-evrotas/publ/xelones.htm