Today is World Turtle Day; Happy World Turtle Day!
This year, World Turtle day celebrates its 21st year. It was founded in 2000 by the American Tortoise Rescue.
World Turtle Day is celebrated on the 23rd of May every year.
What Is World Turtle Day?
World Turtle Day is a great day to celebrate these cute animals.
They are like angels of the seas.
Turtles can be found in some of the world's most beautiful ecosystems: such as the Great Barrier Reef, in Australia. Ecosystems like the Great Barrier Reef wouldn't be quite the same without beautiful turtles swimming in the reef.
Turtles also provide us with some of natures most amazing spectacles. Baby turtles hatch on some of the world's beaches - the baby turtles then make their way into the oceans and seas to start their journey in life.
It's also a great day to raise awareness about turtles.
World Turtle Day is a great day to raise awareness about the different species of turtles in the world and the challenges they face in the modern world.
How Many Species Of Turtles Are There?
It is estimated that there are 318 species of turtles in the world.
Seven species of turtles are sea turtles.
The sea turtle family includes the following species of sea turtles - hawksbill turtles, loggerhead turtles, green turtles, leatherback turtles and olive ridley turtles.
Sadly, sea turtles are endangered today.
What's The Most Endangered Turtle?
The world's most endangered turtle today is called the Yangtze giant softshell turtle.
The Yangtze giant shell turtle is critically endangered.
In 2019, it was reported that the last ever female Yangtze giant softshell turtle has died, leaving only one male remaining. By 2019, up until a few months ago, it was thought that there was only one remaining Yangtze giant softshell turtle in existence. However, in the beginning of this year, it was announced that a female Yangtze giant softshell turtle had been found.
Today, in 2021, the Yangtze giant softshell turtle is still critically endangered and there are now only two of them left in the world. This means that the Yangtze giant softshell turtle is still critically endangered - they are also one of the world's most critically endangered and very close to extinction today.
The population of the Yangtze giant softshell turtle shows how incredibly rare and endangered some of the world's animals are. The rarity of the Yangtze giant softshell turtle also shows the challenges that animals are facing today.
What Challenges Are Turtles Facing?
There are several challenges and threats that turtles are facing today.
Threats that turtles face include:
. Plastic and marine debris
. Being entangled in fishing nets
. Costal development/destruction
. The turtle shell trade
. Global warming/climate change
. Illegal sale and consumption of turtles and their eggs
These are some of the many threats that turtles are facing today.
The threats that turtles face are resulting in the destruction of the turtle's habitats and ecosystems, it is also resulting in the declining populations of turtles.
By protecting turtles and the habitats and ecosystems that they live in, we can help stop the decline in turtles are protect them for the future.
Turtles deserve to be preserved and protected for future generations. These beautiful animals have existed on the earth for between 200 and 300 million years.
Happy World Turtle Day!
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