In a rare win for conservation, the green sea turtle—Chelonia mydas—has officially been reclassified from “Endangered” to “Least Concern” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), marking one of the most significant recoveries in marine wildlife history. The IUCN assessed the species in December of 2024, and its official report on the reclassification of green sea turtles was released earlier this year. According to a recent report from Earth.org, global populations have increased by roughly 28% since the 1970s, a turnaround fueled by decades of international collaboration and local protection efforts.
For much of the 20th century, the story was grim. Green sea turtles were hunted for their meat, eggs, and shells, while rapid coastal developments destroyed many of their nesting beaches. Industrial fishing operations killed millions more as bycatch, and pollution degraded the seagrass meadows they depend on for food. In some regions, populations plummeted by as much as 67%, according to Earth.org.
That long decline prompted a global rescue effort beginning in the 1970s. Governments banned large-scale turtle harvesting and placed strict limits on egg collection. International trade of turtle products was prohibited under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. Fishing fleets adopted turtle excluder devices, and conservationists began restoring nesting beaches and guarding eggs from poachers. In an NPR podcast, Bryan Wallace summed up the result succinctly: “When we do the right things, conservation works.”
The success story is about more than a single species’ rebound. Green sea turtles play a vital ecological role as grazers of seagrass meadows, keeping these underwater ecosystems healthy and productive. A balanced seagrass bed supports fish populations, stabilizes coastlines, and absorbs carbon from the atmosphere—making turtles an unassuming ally in the fight against climate change. When turtle populations decline, seagrass can overgrow and die off, oxygen levels drop, and entire marine food webs begin to unravel.
That’s why biodiversity matters so deeply. Each species contributes to the planet’s resilience, and when even one disappears, the effects cascade far beyond its immediate environment. The recovery of the green sea turtle demonstrates that biodiversity loss is not inevitable—that species can come back if given the chance. “The ongoing global recovery of the green turtle is a powerful example of what coordinated global conservation over decades can achieve to stabilize and even restore populations of long-lived marine species,” Roderic Mast, Co-CEO and President of the Oceanic Society, said.
Still, experts caution that the work is far from done. The IUCN’s updated assessment shows that not all populations are thriving. Some, particularly in the Central South Pacific and East Pacific, remain Vulnerable or Endangered. These populations are still grappling with illegal poaching, rising sea levels that wash away nesting beaches, and warmer sands that can alter the sex ratio of hatchlings. Without protection, they could easily slide backward, as noted by Mongabay.
Climate change remains one of the most serious threats. Higher ocean temperatures and increased storm activity destroy seagrass meadows and coral reefs—the ecosystems that turtles rely on for feeding and shelter. Pollution adds another layer of danger: turtles often ingest plastic debris, mistaking it for jellyfish, and can become entangled in discarded fishing gear. According to the State of the World’s Sea Turtles, human activity still poses the largest single threat to their future.
What can be done to sustain this fragile victory? On a global level, expanding marine protected areas and enforcing fishing regulations are crucial. Locally, communities can continue protecting nesting sites, reducing beachfront lighting, and cleaning coastal debris. For individuals far from the ocean, small choices matter too—using less plastic, supporting sustainable seafood, and backing organizations that protect marine habitats all make a difference.
The recovery of the green sea turtle is both a triumph and a warning. It’s proof that coordinated conservation works, but also that progress can vanish if attention wanes. Every successful restoration effort reminds us that biodiversity is our planet’s safety net. A world with rich, diverse ecosystems is more resilient to climate change, more stable for human economies, and more beautiful to inhabit.
Today, seeing a green sea turtle glide through clear tropical waters is a symbol of what’s possible: the slow, deliberate return of a species once on the brink. However, it’s also quite a challenge. Their future, like that of so many others, depends on what we do next.
