Green Sea Turtle gliding through a coral reef in the Philippines                         Whitcomberd/Adobe Stock

Revival of the Green Sea Turtle

BY HELEN AN

NOVEMBER 1, 2025

    Recently, the scientific community achieved a significant milestone with the recovery of the green sea turtle from the brink of extinction. 

    Although the green sea turtles were once abundant worldwide, human impacts, beginning in the 19th century, have led to pollution and global warming, threatening the species and contributing to their decline. 

    Since the 1950s, researchers have been working on conservation efforts for the species, including implementing fishing restrictions, protecting sea turtles on nesting beaches, and passing legislation such as the U.S. Endangered Species Act. These efforts have protected and raised awareness about the cause of conserving the species, and eventually, decades of work and research have paid off.

    Sophomore Allison Huang said, “[The revival of the green sea turtles] is imperative for the ecosystems; however, we must establish a balance between human advancement and the environment to continue to see a positive shift in this direction, since habitat loss and illegal harvesting are still major problems. This instance shows us how much we can accomplish if we care enough about an issue.” 

    Sophomore Austin Wu said, “Turtles have always fascinated me - they’ve been here since the dinosaurs and they’re very much an everlasting species that has been through it all, so I’m glad we still have them! As people, we should recognize our duty in living sustainably, and consider the environment to make wise choices for our future.”

    The revival of the green sea turtles reminds us that, as humans, we hold the power to shift our environment and other aspects of our planet in a positive direction; therefore, our actions should be a direct reflection of what we want our world to look like.