Endangered sea turtles recovering, but leatherback still staring at extinction
Reduction of threats, ranging from hunting to climate change, has led to the recovery of the endangered sea turtle in the majority of areas of the world.A new study published in the journal Endangered Species Research was done by considering the populations of 48 sea turtles around the world, out of which, more than half of the areas studied depicted declining threats as a boon for their survival.advertisement'Many of the turtle populations have come back, though some haven't,' said Stuart Pimm, one of the researchers told the Associated Press. 'Overall, the sea turtle story is one of the real conservation success stories.'
Leatherback turtles and sea turtle populations in the Pacific Ocean are an exception to this. They are recovering more slowly compared to their counterparts.According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), even though leatherbacks are considMred vulnerable to extinction, many groups are critically endangered.
More than half of the areas studied depicted declining threats as a boon for their survival. (Photo: Getty)
'All seven of the regions where leatherbacks are found face high environmental risks,' said study co-author Bryan Wallace, a wildlife ecologist at Ecolibrium in Colorado.advertisementDue to their nature of swimming for long distances, as much as 5,955 kilometres, the leatherback turtles are exposed to unique risks.Meanwhile, even though the populations of green turtles show signs of recovery, they are still considered endangered globally.'By ending commercial harvests and allowing them time to rebound, their populations are now doing well in coastal waters off many regions of Mexico and the US,' said co-author Michelle Mara Early Capistrn.Even though sea turtles were protected under the US Endangered Species Act of 1973, and Mexico banned all captures of sea turtles in 1990, it took a few decades for the results of these actions.Even though new technologies are being developed to spare sea turtles from becoming prey to the fish nets, they need wide acceptance by the fishing communities.Trending Reel
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
04-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
Critically endangered vultures rewilded after landmark rehab effort in Maha
In a step towards conservation, three White-Rumped Vultures – classified as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List — have been successfully reintroduced into the wild after over three years in captivity. The release - carried out on May 22 in Sawarna, Nashik – is the result of a joint initiative between the Maharashtra forest department and Pune-based RESQ Charitable Trust. The three vultures were among four that had been transferred in October 2024 from Mumbai to the Wildlife Transit Treatment Centre (TTC), Pune, which specialises in recovery and release of injured or captive wildlife. When the birds first arrived in Pune, they were in a critical condition — suffering from severe nutritional deficiencies, deteriorated plumage, and a lack of basic survival instincts. One bird, later diagnosed as immunocompromised, succumbed to a chronic infection despite intensive care. The remaining three underwent a rigorous, science-led rehabilitation process. 'We focused on every element that affects survival in the wild—from restoring muscle strength and flight to reconditioning ground feeding behaviours,' said Dr Sushrut Shirbhate, senior veterinarian at RESQ CT. Over a period of seven months, the vultures showed remarkable improvement, transitioning from reluctant feeders to strong, self-reliant scavengers. Their progress was monitored through regular radiographs, blood tests, and morphometric evaluations. Behavioural conditioning was equally prioritised in that they were trained for sustained flight, thermoregulation, perching and social feeding with minimal human contact inside a dedicated aviary. Ahead of the release, all three vultures were ringed for identification. The largest among them was also fitted with a solar-powered GPS tracker to enable long-term post-release monitoring. Early tracking reports show that these birds have integrated into a wild flock and are exhibiting normal behaviour. Mahadev Mohite, deputy conservator of forests, Pune division, said, 'These birds weren't just from the same species—they were siblings. Releasing them into an existing wild population not only avoids inbreeding but helps rebuild natural social structures essential for the species' survival.' Initial tracking following release was conducted jointly by the Nashik forest department and RESQ CT's field team. It showed that the vultures have adapted well to their new environment. Monitoring will continue over the coming weeks to ensure long-term success. Once a common sight across India, White-Rumped Vultures have suffered a catastrophic population collapse of over 99% in recent decades, largely due to poisoning from the veterinary drug diclofenac, as well as habitat loss and food scarcity. Maharashtra is among the few states that still hosts remnant populations, particularly in ecologically rich zones like Nashik. Neha Panchamiya, founder and president of RESQ CT, said, 'Rehabilitating and releasing vultures is not only ethical—it is strategic. These birds perform an essential ecological function as scavengers. Their return reduces the burden on rescue centres, restores balance to ecosystems, and gives us hope that critically endangered species can still make a comeback.'
Time of India
04-06-2025
- Time of India
Post-Covid immunisation: Childhood measles vaccination rates plunge in several US counties; cases hit 30-year high, study finds
Representative image Immunisation coverage for measles among children has declined, after the Covid pandemic in nearly 80 per cent of over 2,000 US counties analysed in a new study. The drop includes several regions currently experiencing outbreaks. The study, conducted by Johns Hopkins University and recently published in JAMA, was cited by the Associated Press. It highlights increased vulnerability in many areas, in line with state and national data showing declining routine childhood vaccination rates. "When you look at the state level or national level ... you really don't see those drastic drops. Those are there. They're real and they're really problematic," said Lauren Gardner, the study's senior author and infectious disease modelling specialist at Johns Hopkins University, who also developed the university's Covid-19 database. As of Friday, the US has recorded 1,088 measles cases in 2025, the highest year-to-date total in more than three decades. The vast majority of cases have affected unvaccinated individuals and have been traced to both international and domestic travel. Three deaths have occurred during the current outbreaks. Although measles was declared eliminated in the US in 2000 due to the availability of a safe and effective vaccine, declining vaccination rates now threaten that status. All 50 states require two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine for public school attendance, yet non-medical exemptions reached record highs in the 2023–2024 school year. Experts emphasise that a 95 per cent vaccination rate is necessary to prevent outbreaks. The Johns Hopkins researchers analysed 2,066 counties in 33 states, comparing average kindergarten vaccination coverage from pre-pandemic years (2017–2020) with post-pandemic rates (2022–2024). When kindergarten-specific data was unavailable, alternative metrics were used to approximate coverage. Outbreaks in affected counties Since late January, Texas has reported 742 measles cases, most concentrated in West Texas. Gaines County leads with 411 cases, nearly two per cent of its population. Though vaccination coverage rose two percentage points post-pandemic, it remains at just 82.4 per cent, well below herd immunity levels. Terry and Yoakum counties, with 60 and 20 cases respectively, also fall short of the 95 per cent threshold, at 93.7 per cent and 91.8 per cent. Lubbock County, near Gaines, reported 53 cases, with coverage slipping from just under 95 per cent to 91.8 per cent. El Paso County, despite maintaining above-threshold coverage at 96.5 per cent, saw a 2.1-point decline alongside 57 reported cases. Kansas has also seen outbreaks. Gray County reported 25 cases, with vaccination coverage plunging from 94 per cent to 71 per cent. Haskell County saw an 18-point drop to 65 per cent with 11 cases, while Stevens County, with seven cases, dipped to 90.5 per cent. In Colorado, seven cases were traced to a mid-May arrival at Denver International Airport, affecting six residents and one visitor. Arapahoe County logged two cases with coverage at 88.4 per cent. El Paso County reported three cases and a drop to 80 per cent. North Dakota researchers analysed only post-pandemic years due to limited earlier data. Williams County recorded 16 cases with fluctuating coverage: 84.6 per cent in 2022, 87.7 in 2023, then falling to 83.5 per cent in 2024. Cass County, with seven cases, held steady at around 92.7 per cent. Grand Forks County reported 10 cases, with coverage dropping from 95.4 to 93.4 per cent.
Mint
29-05-2025
- Mint
Swiss Glacier Collapse Engulfs Alpine Village in Rock and Ice
(Bloomberg) -- A Swiss glacier has collapsed, destroying most of the Alpine village of Blatten in a wave of rock and ice. Live footage on Wednesday shows 3 million cubic meters of rock and mud burying Blatten and the nearby Lonza river. That's potentially increasing threats should the flow of water be blocked, according to the cantonal government in Valais. 'The worst-case scenario has become a reality,' Raphaël Mayoraz, head of the natural dangers service for Valais, told reporters on Wednesday 'It's an extremely rare phenomenon.' About 300 people were evacuated from the village in the southern Loetschental valley 10 days ago as the risk of a rupture to the Birch glacier mounted. The army has been deployed to help with recovery efforts, with one person missing, according to Associated Press. Scientists have long warned that a warming planet is making such events more likely. The Alps have warmed about 2C since the pre-industrial period, with many glaciers losing half their mass since 1900. Three years ago, 11 people were killed after a glacial ice shelf collapsed in the Dolomites in Italy following record-high temperatures. Swiss researchers have explicitly sounded the alarm over the rate of thaw, which appears to be accelerating. The world is currently on track to overshoot the critical warming threshold of 1.5C, with some estimates pointing to an average temperature rise of twice that by the end of the century. Exceeding 1.5C of warming will have irreversible consequences for glacier mass, scientists warned in a recent study, underscoring the need to slash greenhouse has emissions. More stories like this are available on
