Conservation
All species of sea turtles are listed as threatened or endangered. The leatherback, Kemp’s Ridley, and Hawksbill turtles are critically endangered. The Olive Ridley and green turtles are endangered, and the loggerhead is threatened. The flatback’s conservation status is unclear due to a lack of data. One of the most significant threats now comes from bycatch due to imprecise fishing methods. Donnelly points to long-lining as a major cause of accidental sea turtle death, There is also black market demand for tortoiseshell for both decoration and supposed health benefits. Turtles must surface to breathe. Caught in a fisherman’s net, they are unable to surface and thus suffocate. In early 2007, almost a thousand sea turtles were killed inadvertently in the Bay of Bengal over the course of a few months after netting.