Global reassessment of sea turtle conservation highlights progress and persistent risks.

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A large global study by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) shows that sea turtle populations are increasing in various parts of the world. The study involved approximately 150 conservation institutions spread across 50 countries—including the Tamar Project in Bahia, Brazil, and the National Institute for Amazonian Research (INPA).

Forty-eight population groups of six sea turtle species were analyzed, comparing data from 2011 with the most recent data. Today, 40% of these groups are considered to be at reduced risk, compared to only 23% at the beginning of the last decade. In places like Cape Verde, for example, the number of nests jumped from 500 to more than 35,000 between 2008 and 2020—an impressive increase.

Everyone has seen the famous image of the turtle with a straw stuck in its nose—sad, but there's a side to this story that's seldom told. The invention of plastic, about 100 years ago, saved sea turtles from extinction. Before polymers, almost everything was made from animal parts: ivory piano keys, hats and corsets with whalebone, and eyeglass frames and combs made from tortoise shell — hence the name of the "tortoiseshell pattern" model. The hawksbill turtle species, in fact, received this name because, since ancient Greece, it was used in the manufacture of combs.

When lightweight and inexpensive materials such as Bakelite, nylon, polypropylene, and polyethylene emerged, turtle hunting began to lose momentum. In a way, plastics freed nature from "human scissors." Paradoxically, the same material that now threatens the oceans was once what saved countless species from extinction.

Even so, the fight continues. Accidental capture in fishing nets is still the main threat, along with plastic waste, coastal development, and climate change. In other words: it's time to celebrate progress — but also to act, responsibly and with information.

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A recent publication by the IUCN Marine Turtle Specialist Group (MTSG) presents an update on the global conservation status of sea turtles, using the Conservation Priorities Portfolio (CPP) framework to assess 48 Regional Management Units (RMUs) in 50 countries.

The results show that more than half of the RMUs (≈ 53%) have improved their risk and threat scores since 2011, while 28% have worsened. Approximately 40% are now classified as “low risk/low threat”. In Cape Verde, for example, the number of hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) nests jumped from 500 to over 35,000 between 2008 and 2020, representing one of the most successful cases of population recovery.

Before condemning plastic as the “absolute villain” of marine life, a historical perspective is worthwhile. Everyone knows the shocking image of the turtle with a straw in its nose, but few remember that the invention of plastic—about a century ago—was a watershed moment in conservation. Before synthetic polymers, global trade exploited turtles, whales, and elephants to manufacture everyday items: combs, eyeglass frames, piano keys, and even fashion accessories. The hawksbill turtle was particularly targeted, and its shell inspired the "turtle" visual pattern that still names eyeglass models.

With the arrival of materials like Bakelite, nylon, and polyethylene, which were lightweight, durable, and inexpensive, the industry found viable substitutes for animal-derived products. This transition drastically reduced the hunting of sea turtles, contributing to the reversal of an extinction trend. Ironically, the same chemical advancement that freed the species from slaughter has now become one of its new threats, through ocean pollution.

The IUCN study reinforces that bycatch by fishing remains the most critical threat, followed by plastic pollution, coastal development, and climate change. Although global trends indicate improvement, species such as the leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) remain critically endangered, requiring conservation strategies based on solid regional data and effective public policies.

This combination of measurable progress and persistent risks reveals a paradox of modernity: the same materials that saved species in the 20th century now need to be managed responsibly to ensure they do not destroy them in the 21st.

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Sources: Pesquisa global traz boas notícias sobre a preservação de tartarugas marinhas | Meio ambiente | Galileu New Global Assessment Reveals Hope for Marine Turtles, Highlights Urgent Need for Continued Action - News | IUCN

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