Indonesia Sea Turtles And Their Conservation Status
Sea turtles have played vital roles in maintaining the health of the world’s oceans for more than 100 million years. These roles range from maintaining productive coral reef ecosystems to transporting essential nutrients from the ocean to beaches and coastal dunes.
Major changes have occurred in the oceans because sea turtles have been virtually eliminated from many areas of the globe. Commercial fishing, loss of nesting habitat and climate change are among the human-caused threats pushing sea turtles towards extinction. As sea turtle populations decline, so does their ability to fulfill vital functions in ocean ecosystems.
Indonesia is a home to six out of seven of the world’s turtle species, as it provides important nesting and foraging grounds, as well as important migration routes at the cross roads of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Here is 6 of the sea turtles that live in Indonesia seas.
Green Turtle (Chelonia Mydas)
Green turtle is a species of large sea turtle of the family Cheloniidae and also the only species in the genus Chelonia. Green sea turtle is the only herbivore among the different species. It range extends throughout tropical and subtropical seas around the world. The common name refers to the greenish color of their cartilage and fat, not their shells. In Indonesia, Green turtles can be found in several places such as Bali and Derawan. Due to Green turtle endangered conservation status, many countries, including Indonesia set their initiatives to protect and conserve this beautiful creature.
Hakwsbill Turtle (Eretmochelys Imbricate)
The hawskbill turtle or penyu sisik in Indonesian common name is critically endangered sea turtle belonging to the family chelooniidae. It is the only extant species in the genus Eretmochelys. The hawksbill appearance is easily distinguished from other sea turtles by it sharp curving beak with prominent tomium and it shell margins which has an appearance like saw hawksbill shells slightly change colors, depending on water temperature. This species spend most of their time in shallow lagoons and coral reefs, and can be found all around Indonesia seas.
Olive Ridley Turtle (Lepidochelys Olivacea)
Olive ridley are the second smallest and most abundant off all sea turtles found in the world, this species live in warm and tropical waters primarily in the Pacific and Indian Ocean, but they can also be found in the warm waters of the Atlantic. This species conservation status is vulnerable. Olive ridley turtles can be found all around Indonesia sea, but because of its diminishing population, it only have been found in South Sulawesi, Maluku, and Papua waters according to Conservation Planning Specialist Group about marine turtles of Indonesia report.
Leatherback Sea Turtle (Dermochelys Coriacea)
Leatherback sea turtle or penyu belimbing in Indonesian common name is the largest of all living turtles and also number fourth heaviest modern reptile in the world. It is the only living species in the genus Dermochelys and family Dermochelyidae. This type can be easily identified from the carapace which is shaped like lines on star fruit. This carapace is not approved by bone, but is only approved by skin and oily meat. The leatherback turtle, which remains an inhabitant of oceanic waters for almost all its life, feeds mostly on jellyfish. From a drifting existence, post-hatchlings settle to sitting at the bottom and feeding. They continue to grow up in these places. The status of this species is Vulnerable. Regular nesting of a sizeable population of leatherbacks have been reported in the northern coast of Papua.
Flatback Sea Turtle (Natator Depressus)
Flatback sea turtle or penyu pipih in Indonesian common name is a species of sea turtlein the family Cheloniidae. The species is endemic to the sandy beaches and shallow coastal waters of the Australia continental shelf. This turtle gets its common name from the fact that its shell has a flattened or lower dome than the other sea turtles. It can be olive green to grey with a cream underside. This turtle species status is unknown due to lack of data that is owned, but in Australia, the government put this species to vulnerable list. In Indonesia, this species can be found in eastern part of Indonesia such as in Maluku and Papua.
Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta)
Loggerhead sea turtle or penyu tempayan in Indonesian common name is a species of oceanic turtle distributed throughout the world. The loggerhead sea turtle is the world’s largest hard-shelled turtle, belonging to the family Cheloniidae. This species is found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, as well as the Mediterranean Sea. It can be found all around Indonesia waters especially in beaches in some region such as West Kalimantan, Central and Southern Sulawesi, and Maluku. This species conservation status is Vulnerable due to intensively hunted for their meat and eggs.
