Every June 16, the world pauses to celebrate a creature that has glided through our oceans for more than 100 million years, the sea turtle. World Sea Turtle Day isn’t just a date on the calendar, it’s a powerful reminder that these gentle ocean wanderers need our help, now more than ever.
This day also honors Dr. Archie Carr, the legendary scientist who dedicated his life to protecting sea turtles. Known as the “father of sea turtle conservation,” Dr. Carr’s passion sparked a global movement to save these ancient beings from slipping into silence.
Sea turtles are nothing short of living fossils. They’ve survived dinosaurs, shifting continents and ice ages. And yet today, it’s our modern world that’s putting them in danger. All seven species of sea turtles are now either threatened or endangered.
Their biggest enemies? Plastic waste, fishing nets and the loss of nesting beaches. Imagine mistaking a floating plastic bag for a jellyfish, their favorite snack. That’s a common and often fatal mistake turtles make. Or getting trapped in fishing nets, unable to reach the surface for air. Or arriving at a beach they’ve returned to for decades, only to find it vanished beneath hotels and floodlights.
But there is hope. Protecting the beaches where they lay their eggs is a huge first step. One female turtle can travel thousands of kilometers just to return to the same beach where she was born. It’s an incredible journey of instinct, resilience and trust. And we owe it to her to keep that beach safe.
Change doesn’t require grand gestures. It starts small, saying no to plastic bags, supporting turtle conservation groups and simply talking about it. Awareness spreads like ripples in water.
Sea turtles have carried the story of the ocean on their backs for millions of years. It’s time we write ourselves into their survival story, not as the villains, but as the heroes they desperately need.
