Almost every sea turtle baby born along the sandy beaches of Florida in the United States is a girl, scientists told Reuters. They have found almost no baby boys after the turtle eggs have hatched in the last four years. In Australia, researchers discovered the same, where 99 percent of all sea turtles were female. – The consequence of skewed gender balances is that the population is unable to reproduce. It is very dramatic, says Karoline Andaur, Secretary General of the Nature Conservation Organization WWF. Sand temperature determines Photo: AP While most animals have their sex determined by fertilization, the sex of sea turtles is determined by temperature. This means that if the eggs are laid along a cool beach, it will be a boy, while a warmer beach gives a girl. The limits of this are 27.7 degrees Celsius to have a boy turtle, and above 31 degrees Celsius to almost certainly have a girl turtle, according to the researchers. It is thus the temperature of the sand, after the sea turtle has dug a nest for its eggs, that determines the sex of the next generation. The same goes for alligators. – The most frightening thing is that this is happening at the same time that Florida has had the highest recorded temperatures every year for the past four years, says Bette Zirkelbach, manager of a local turtle shelter in Florida in the USA. Photo: Heather Leiphart / AP Missing boys: – Big warning sign With such prospects, it may be a long time before the sea turtles have a litter of boys. This means that many expect a decline in the stock. – Over the next few years, you’re going to see a sharp decline in numbers because we simply don’t have the genetic diversity needed, says Melissa Rosales Rodriguez, who works at a turtle hospital at the Miami Zoo. Secretary General of WWF Norway, Karoline Andaur, believes there is still hope to save the sea turtles. Photo: Elin Eike Worren – This is a big warning sign for understanding how climate change affects nature, which is the basis of our life. This may mean that you are unable to maintain the population because not enough baby turtles are born. Furthermore, the stock could collapse, which could have an impact on the rest of the ecosystem, says WWF’s general secretary to news. Fear of extinction Nor is it only climate change that threatens sea turtles. They are also threatened by pollution, bycatch and marine litter, says Andaur. With increased temperatures, the water will also rise. According to Danish research, the water level of the world’s oceans has risen by 7.5 centimeters in the last 30 years. It is also expected that it will increase by a further 70 centimeters over the next 100 years. Photo: J Pat Carter / AP The Secretary General of the WWF is afraid that this could mean the end for some sea turtles. – I fear that certain populations may become extinct, both because of climate change and because the habitats and beaches disappear, says Andaur. – At the same time, I hope that with the knowledge and information we have, that we will be able to make plans that will ensure that they are not exterminated, she says.
ttn-69
The climate crisis causes a shortage of loggerhead turtles – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
