Green turtles nesting range expands under warming climate

Subject: Environment

Section: Species in news

Context:

Rising global temperatures could lead to an increase in the nesting range of green turtles in the Mediterranean Sea, as per the study.

Details:

Under the worst-case climate scenario, the nesting range could increase by over 60% points, spreading west from the current area to include much of the North African, Italian, Greek coastlines and Adriatic sea.
Climate change led rising sea surface temperatures is impacting marine life including sea turtles as the sex of their offspring is dependent on incubation temperature.
Sea surface temperature, sea salinity, and human population density most affected the suitability of a specific location as a nesting site.

Green turtle (Chelonia mydas):

Also known as the black (sea) turtle or Pacific green turtle.
It is a species of large sea turtle of the family Cheloniidae.
It is the only species in the genus Chelonia.
Its range extends throughout tropical and subtropical seas around the world, with two distinct populations in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, but it is also found in the Indian Ocean.
They migrate long distances between feeding grounds and hatching beaches.
Listed as endangered by the IUCN Red List and CITES.