[Ammi]

Green turtle brought back from brink of extinction…

The green turtle is back from the brink of extinction in a major victory for conservationists.

Populations have recovered so much its status has been downgraded from “endangered” to “least concern” in an update to the official red list compiled by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) .

Numbers have increased by more than a quarter since the 1970s as a result of focused conservation efforts to reduce hunting and egg-harvesting for food.

The species is of vital importance to its native habitat of tropical coral reefs but it almost became extinct after English sailors discovered its meat was delicious and turtle soup became a sought after dish in the UK in the 18th century.

Roderic Mast of the IUCN said: “The ongoing global recovery of the green turtle is a powerful example of what coordinated global conservation, over decades, can achieve to stabilise and even restore populations of long-lived marine species.

“Sea turtles cannot survive without healthy oceans and coasts and humans can’t either. Sustained conservation efforts are key to assuring that this recovery lasts.”

Other positives from the updated list include the tiger showing signs that its decline has been slowed. It is still endangered and extinct in nine of the 24 areas in its traditional range but there are signs that protection efforts are working.

https://uk.yahoo.com/news/green-turt...152708807.html