Hello everyone! I’m Elif Su Ökmen from Atılım DBE News. I want to write about a serious situation. It’s about the life of an endangered species: Hawksbill Turtle.
Hawksbill Turtles are amazing species due to several reasons. Their beautiful shells, colors, and their unique anatomy are some of them. They have an interesting beak-like mouth structure and this is why they’re called “Hawksbill Turtle”. An adult averages 2 to 3.5 feet and weighs 100 to 150 pounds. They generally live 50 years or more. What sets this species apart from the other turtles is that when they move, they leave an asymmetrical trail in the sand behind them.
The serious thing about the situation is that they, like many animals, are on the verge of extinction and it’s probably our fault. Actually, it’s illegal to hunt them in many countries, but they’re still being hunted in illegal or even legal ways. In some areas of the world, it is, unfortunately, popular to eat their meat as it is considered as a unique taste to some people. Apart from all these, their shells are also popular as decoration materials because they have amazing details and patterns. Some people even stuff the turtles themselves as ornaments.
Of course, my intention is to give you information about these animals and explain the reasons why we should do something to save them. Now, I want you to read an interview that I had with Eren who has spent his life saving these animals and I’m sure you’ll find his explanations much more convincing.
The Interview
Su: Hello Eren, thanks for accepting our invitation. I don’t want to hold you for too long so let’s get to the topic. Why should we save the Hawksbill Turtles? What can you tell the audience about that?
Eren: Hello! Thank you for having me. It’s nice to see that people are interested in this topic. Of course, we should save Hawksbill Turtles but not just because they’re amazing creatures. They also have an important role in the food chain like other animals. You know, every animal has unique features and they all provide something to the world so not just Hawksbill Turtles but we should save all animals which are endangered. The more we lose animal species, the more we become closer to the end of our own existence.
Su: You’re definitely right but what can we do to save them?
Eren: It’s very simple. Firstly, hunting them must be illegal in every country. They shouldn’t be hunted because of our whims. There must be strict rules for their protection and their nesting zone should definitely be protected as well. Of course, these aren’t things that ordinary people can do but they can organize campaigns to contribute.
Su: I’m sure, all the people who read this will get your point. Thanks Eren, that means a lot to us and to the world.
Today we have focused on another species which is about to become extinct. Hawksbill turtles are absolutely amazing and this extinction should be stopped right away but as Eren said, we must save all animal species, not just Hawksbill Turtles, because they’re all important and beautiful creatures. Remember, if they are alive, we are alive too!
PHOTO CREDIT (In the order above)
https://kidadl.com/animal-facts/hawksbill-sea-turtle-facts
https://sflspecies.weebly.com/hawksbill-sea-turtle.html
https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/hawksbill-turtle
https://dribbble.com/shots/15532111-Animal-Protection-Poster