How does human activity affect Sea Turtles?
Poor fishing practices and the disposal of fishing gear captures thousands of Sea Turtles yearly. When trash and plastic ends up in the ocean turtles as well as other sea creatures get trapped or entangled in it. Boat props can sometimes injure Sea Turtles' shells. Lastly, human construction on beaches often destroys significant turtle nesting areas affecting entire generations of Sea Turtles. More information is provided on WWF's website listed at the bottom of the post.
What can we do to help?
Avoid buying products with a lot of packaging that will inevitably end up in a landfill or in the ocean. Use reusable bottles and tote bags instead of plastic ones (normally, plastic items take up to 1000 years to biodegrade).
Raise awareness about the animal and encourage others to use more reusable items. A great way to help these animals is to donate to organizations that help protect these animals. World Wildlife Fund for Nature is one of the world's largest independent conservation organizations and according to WWF, its mission is "to stop the degradation of the planet's natural environment and build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature". The link to their website on the conservation of Sea Turtles is posted below.
What is Royal West Academy's mission?
Not only are we trying to raise awareness about this endangered species, but we also would like to raise money to donate to an organization that specializes in the protection of Sea Turtles.