Species of Sea Turtles
 		 
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Conservation Status
Under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) 'Red List of Threatened Species' leatherback sea turtles are considered "Vulnerable" at the global level. The Red List has a special listing for 7 identified subpopulations.
Find out more at www.iucnredlist.org
Note: Until 2013 the species was listed as Critically Endangered.


VULNERABLE (VU) - A taxon facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.

Photo © 2008 Chris Johnson
Threats
Threats to leatherbacks vary from one region to another but include:
   
Loss of habitat due to commercialisation of tropical beaches (particularly tourism) and industrialisation
 
Accidental capture by fishing activities, due to trawl net fishing
Pollution caused by industries in tropical waters, and heavy industry in temperate migratory waters
Human predation
Animal predation
   

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Illustrations: M. Demma © ICRAM