Dose of Awe: We brought back the green sea turtles

Green sea turtles – once on the brink of extinction – have made an amazing comeback. Once hunted for their eggs, meat, and shells, and threatened by fishing nets and shrinking beaches, these turtles are now doing much better.

So much so that the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) has moved them from “endangered” to “least concern” classification.

This didn’t happen by chance, but rather as a result of dedicated conservation efforts. People have worked for decades to protect nesting beaches, make fishing practices safer, and help local communities stop hunting turtles.

The success of sea turtle conservation efforts is a reminder of what we can accomplish if we work to take care of the creatures and wildlife around us.

“We can do this, we can save a species,” said sea turtle expert Nicholas Pilcher.