Photo c 2010 Linda Searle       3/2010 The Elbow, Turneffe Atoll
KINGDOM
PHYLUM
CLASS
ORDER
FAMILY
ANIMALIA
CHORDATA
REPTILIA
TESTUDINES
CHELONIIDAE & DERMOCHELYDAE
Facts:
  • Sea turtles are reptiles
  • Evolved from land turtles 250 million years ago during the Jurassic Period in order to seek out food and are often referred to as living dinosaurs
  • Reptiles that became aquatic
  • Sea turtle were twice as big then as they are now
  • Archelon, an extinct species, grew to 13 ft
  • Lay eggs on land
  • Temperature of sand impacts sex

IUCN - International Union for Conservation of Nature - RED LIST

​Species are classified by the IUCN Red List into nine groups, set through criteria such as
  • rate of decline
  • population size
  • area of geographic distribution
  • degree of population and
  • distribution fragmentation. 
The 7 species of sea turtles are classified under 4 categories.
2 Critically Endangered - Extremely high risk of extinction in the wild
  • Hawksbill
  • Kemp’s Ridley
2 Endangered - High risk of extinction in the wild
  • Loggerhead
  • Green
2 Vulnerable - High risk of endangerment in the wild
  • Olive Ridley
  • Leatherback **
1 Data Deficient - Not enough data to make an assessment of its risk of extinction
  • Australia Flatback
** range from data deficient to critically endangered by region

​IUCN Species Survival Commission

​The IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) is a science-based network of more than 10,000 volunteer experts working together in more than 140 Specialist Groups, Red List Authorities and Task Forces. Some groups address conservation issues related to particular groups of plants, fungi or animals while others focus on broader issues such as reintroduction of species into former habitats, climate change, wildlife health and sustainable use and trade.  Categories include: Amphibians & Reptiles, Birds, Fishes, Invertebrates, Plants & Fungi, Mammals and Disciplinary Groups.

IUCN SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group

​Comprised of more than 300 expert members in over 80 countries, the MTSG is the global authority on marine turtle research and conservation.
Mission statement:
The mission of the IUCN SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group (MTSG) is to develop and support strategies, set priorities, and provide tools that promote and guide the conservation of marine turtles, and their ecological roles and habitats.