“Save The Turtles” And All That… But Seriously!

The phrase “save the turtles” has lost its significance since it was first introduced with many using the term in mockery. But, as the plastic pollution problem increases, conservation workers are beginning to worry that people aren’t taking the endangerment of marine animals seriously.

In the summer of 2024, I volunteered at a turtle conservation camp with the Cyprus Wildlife Research Institute, in Northern Cyprus. Having no experience in the marine biology sector or volunteering with animals, I was unsure how out of depth I would be. However, the center takes on many volunteers every year.

Every year at the CWRI rescue center and hospital in Taskent National Park they save approximately one thousand animals. On top of this, they collect lots of samples for their BioBank and SeedBank for later research. Along the coast of Karpaz, lies the turtle conservation center where volunteers each year protect nests.

This year, the CWRI volunteers recorded 12,467 hatchlings reaching the sea ‘post-nest evacuation.’ Team Leader, Iona Shearer, says “This doesn’t include the many more that emerged naturally and made it on their own, so the real number is much higher.”

Are we right to be worried about turtles?

Whilst conservation has been on people’s minds for a number of years now, the actual “save the turtles” trend began in 2015. It started after a research team saved a turtle that had a plastic straw stuck in its nostril. The video (admittedly quite graphic) went viral online and thus the hashtag was created.

While the campaign did help raise awareness of plastic pollution, it has since become more of a mockery. The term is now more commonly used in an almost derogatory way toward those who want to help the planet. As a result, what started as a trend promoting activism and awareness of conservation has become something negative—a term with a stigma that has left some people more ignorant of the threats facing marine animals.

Why Marine Biologists Choose to Protect Turtles

Working with the CWRI since 2022 – first as a volunteer, then as an intern, and now as a full-time Team Leader and researcher – Iona Shearer shares her thoughts on the ‘save the turtle’ stereotype.

She says, “While turtles are a great flagship species for conservation, focusing solely on them can overlook other species endangered by pollution, like seabirds and dolphins. That said, by protecting turtles and their habitats, we’re indirectly helping other marine life too.”

Explaining the need for turtle protection, Iona says, “Sea turtles are protected because they’re a keystone species in marine ecosystems. Green turtles, for instance, keep seagrass beds healthy, which supports marine biodiversity and acts as a carbon sink. Loggerheads play a role in controlling jellyfish populations, which helps maintain balance in the food chain.”

At the center, they don’t just help turtles, “We’ve seen seabirds with plastic in their stomachs and fish entangled in discarded fishing nets. Challenging this stereotype means raising awareness about how conservation efforts benefit entire ecosystems, not just one species.”

Biggest dangers to turtles

Plastic pollution is a growing problem that endangers turtles, but it isn’t the only issue. Iona says, “In Cyprus, we see predation, pollution, human disturbance, and unpredictable sea level changes as the biggest threats.”

Rising seas can flood nests, while human activities like beach use and artificial lighting disrupt both nesting mothers and hatchlings. At night time, turtles (both mothers and hatchlings) guide themselves back to the sea via the moon and starlight. So artificial lighting can lead them astray and into dangerous circumstances.

Where possible, people walking across the beach should try to avoid using flashlights. Many protected areas try to dissuade beach dwellers after sunset to prevent the disturbance. The volunteers from CWRI use red light when they need to see as turtles are less sensitive to this end of the light spectrum.

Plastic Pollution

Issues like human disturbance can be easily rectified if people stick to guidelines (beach visiting hours and limiting the use of artificial light.) Plastic pollution, however, seems to be a much bigger-scale problem. Even though volunteers and some locals try to help with beach clean-ups, more and more plastic is washed up each day.

Iona says, “Plastic pollution is such a massive issue, especially for turtles. In Cyprus, we try to clean the beaches where we can, but the scale of the problem is huge. We’ve found hatchlings stuck in bottle caps or tangled in plastic, and sometimes nesting mothers get caught in netting or fishing line, which can be heartbreaking.”

Research shows, every year an estimated 40,000 green and loggerhead turtles are killed after being accidentally caught in fishing nets throughout the Mediterranean Sea. Some studies suggest that lights on fishing lines could help ease the problem.

Plastic on beaches can obstruct mothers from nesting and block hatchlings’ paths to the sea. For researchers and marine biologists like Iona, it is difficult to “pinpoint” a percentage of how many hatchlings are impacted or injured by plastic pollution. Their collected statistics suggest “only one or two hatchlings per year seem directly impacted.” However, Iona says that this is likely to be a massive underrepresentation of the actual figure.

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What are the biggest concerns for Marine Biologists?

“One of the biggest challenges is public awareness – encouraging people to follow simple rules and actively help protect the environment. Making people care enough to take even small actions can be surprisingly hard.”

Research

Iona’s favorite part is teaching people about these “incredible animals” and seeing their excitement when they witness their first hatchling or turtle. She says that sharing that joy makes all the hard work worthwhile.

One of her favorite memories was watching her team of volunteers excavate over 20 nests in one shift. She said, “It was unforgettable. Seeing them use the skills and knowledge I’d taught them was incredibly fulfilling.”

During her internship, she has worked on various projects including DNA tissue sample collection and assisting with data collection. She has also worked on projects beyond turtles, such as studying bird migration, wetland bird population changes, local arthropod species in Cyprus, and breeding beetles to control an invasive caterpillar population.

Overall, she has learned a lot about managing conservation projects, the importance of “save the turtle” programs, and the necessity of teamwork.

“Seeing how education and fieldwork can inspire others to protect marine life has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my time here.”

In some countries, predation isn’t just a concern from wild animals but also poachers. Find out how some conservation organizations are tackling the poaching issue.