Many species of turtles are endangered or threatened species. I was curious which ones were on the list, but going through all the scientific names and the lists of thousands of different animals and plants, and then figuring out which turtles they were speaking of (I found a few I have never heard of before!) was...well...tedious. So I thought I'd share with you what I found.
I'll give you the scientific name, common name, endangered status as it is worldwide, an interesting fact or two, and the link to where I found this info for each turtle or tortoise. Let me know if you find anything that is incorrect.
Right now all I've got is sea turtles, but I'll be adding more as I find them. You're welcome to help me out.
Sea turtles
Dermochelys coriacea
Leatherback sea turtle
endangered
(eats jellyfish and lays hard-shelled eggs! The record-breaker was 10 feet in shell length and weighed 2,019 pounds...Why don’t they call this the largest turtle?)
(They have the widest range of all as they like the open ocean and will go into cold water…And guess what the greatest threat to them is? Floating balloons and plastic bags mistaken to be jellyfish!)
Chelonia mydas
Green sea turtle
endangered
(the largest turtle in the world...or so some say--the record-breaker was 5 feet in shell length and 871 pounds!)
Natator depressus
Flatback sea turtle
critically endangered
(one interesting-looking turtle…It has a very limited range)
Caretta caretta
Loggerhead sea turtle
threatened
(Gets its name from its large head and strong jaws…Not much is known about this one—it is currently under study with satellite tracking.)
Eretmochelys imbricata
Hawksbill sea turtle
critically endangered
(interesting beak gives it its name…Eats sponges and squid from crevices in coral reefs)
Lepidochelys olivaceaf
Olive Ridley sea turtle
threatened
(very similar to but a little more numerous than Kemp's Ridley)
Lepidochelys kempii
Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle
critically endangered
(the smallest and rarest of sea turtles...And one of only two to nest every year, which should serve it well in making a comeback)
Freshwater turtles
Land turtles & tortoises
