Coastal developments have degraded many sea turtle nesting and foraging sites. Buildings, roads, marinas and break-walls all result in the loss of sandy beaches where sea turtles nest.

Sea turtles may cross many thousands of kilometres to return to nest on the very same beach from which they hatched. Some species will not reach sexual maturity and make this journey for 30 years or more. But these days a lot can happen in 30 years and many sea turtles return to their natal beach to find that it has been built over, or become busy with tourists and houses. Faced with this situation many sea turtles respond by nesting on inappropriate beaches where their eggs will not hatch, or dumping their eggs at sea.

Artificial lights near the shore deter females from coming onto beaches to nest. Hatchlings emerging from the nest become disorientated by nearby lights resulting in them moving away from the ocean instead of towards it, and often leading them to their deaths. For more information on inappropriate lighting around turtle nesting beaches download our Sea Turtles and Lights brochure here.

Additionally activities including dredging for shipping channels, construction of canal housing estates and bad anchoring practices are degrading important sea turtle feeding habitats such as seagrass beds and coral reefs.