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Marine turtles are some of the best loved species of the ocean environment. But it is not only their appearance that captivates us; these animals also contribute to the healthy functioning of the marine ecosystem in their role as habitat for so-called ‘aquatic hitchhikers’, small crustaceans (such as barnacles) that live on their shells. One sea turtle can carry more than 100 000 tiny animals on its shell. As large reptiles, they also act as a natural shield for fish that swim in their cover to protect against predators. And they help to balance the ecosystem by eating excess organisms, for example jellyfish or dead fish. They are highly migratory and can be found anywhere from the Atlantic and Indian oceans to the Coral Triangle in the Pacific Ocean. The existing seven species of marine turtles sometimes come to shore to nest or bask, but spend most of their time in the ocean.

Over the last 200 years, human activities have posed the biggest threat to the survival of these important animals, through hunting turtles for consumption and product processing to destructive fishing practices of which marine turtles are among the unintended victims (by-catch). Further threats include marine debris, which marine turtles ingest or become entangled in, oil spills and beach activities that disturb nesting females.