TEHRAN – As one of the oldest reptiles on Earth, with some species dating back more than 200 million years, more than half of turtle species are threatened with extinction today, and without extensive conservation efforts, they may die out.

Iran is home to 10 species of turtles, including five of the world's seven sea turtle species; natural and human-induced factors have posed major threats to the sea turtles' survival, IRNA reported.

The five marine turtles are namely the red turtle (Caretta caretta), the green turtle (Chelonia mydas), the hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), the olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), and the leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea).

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List Status for these sea turtles is as follows. The red turtle and green turtle are classified as critically endangered species worldwide, while the leatherback sea turtle and hawksbill sea turtle are among the critically endangered ones. Olive ridley turtles are listed as a vulnerable species.

The coasts of the country are among the favorite places for green and hawksbill turtles to lay their eggs. Red, green and hawksbill sea turtles are mostly found on the coasts of the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman. The other two species are only spotted on the coasts of the Sea of Oman.

Due to their popularity among people, sea turtles are recognized as a flagship species that can lead to the protection of other living things and the ecosystem.

Sea turtles have a relatively long lifespan, but it takes them a long time (15 to 50 years) to mature, so they are in dire need of protection as the death of any one of them can pose serious damage to their entire population in an area.

Natural threats to sea turtles include beach erosion and predators like birds, foxes, crabs, and rats that feed on the eggs of the turtles.

Human-induced hazards involve bycatch and entanglement in fishing nets, marine debris, coastal construction and development, off-road vehicles, pollution (including light, noise, and oil), the increase of non-native species (such as stray dogs) in the area where turtles live, climate change (affecting sex ratio), and turtle trades (meat and eggs) by local communities.

Cleaning up beaches and coasts, identifying and abolishing development and tourism in turtles’ habitats, granting funds to study turtles, providing long-term conservation programs at national and provincial levels, strengthening NGOs, and most importantly, raising public awareness and training local communities are among the major factors that contribute to the protection of sea turtles.

Observed on May 23rd each year, World Turtle Day is a reminder of the urgent need to intensify efforts against plastic pollution, habitat destruction, and threats to marine and terrestrial ecosystems.

Founded in 2000 by American Tortoise Rescue to protect turtles and tortoises everywhere. The Day seeks to educate people about how to properly care for turtles by helping them to survive the consequences of rapid habitat changes. It also aims to spread awareness about turtles, with an emphasis placed on the disappearance of their habitat and how humans can help.

Preserving marine coastal ecosystem

Over the past few years, the Department of Environment (DOE) has been implementing more than 120 projects to protect the country’s marine coastal ecosystem.

These projects play crucial roles in safeguarding, managing, and restoring marine ecosystems, IRNA quoted Shahram Fadakar, an official with DOE, as saying.

They encompass a wide range of sectors such as conserving sea turtles, managing coral reef habitats, coastal zoning, studying marine mammals, as well as evaluating the marine ecosystem’s health, and mangrove forests, the official added.

Studying sea turtle nesting habitat restoration in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, monitoring coastal and offshore ecosystems in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, developing national action plans for endangered species, and assessing the biodiversity of marine invertebrates are among the key projects, he noted.

The official went on to say that ongoing collaborations with universities, research institutes, and related organizations have enhanced the efficiency of these projects.

In 2025, the head of the DOE, Shina Ansari, announced the provision of a data bank of more than 5,000 creatures in the Persian Gulf and the Oman Sea, saying that it will serve as a regional and even international platform for the preservation of the biodiversity in these waters.

“This includes efforts such as preparing an atlas of sensitive marine ecosystems and the identification of unknown coral reef habitats, such as the Shah Alam area on the maritime border with Qatar, which allows for effective and targeted intervention at a macro level,” ILNA quoted Ansari as saying.

The official made the remarks on the occasion of Persian Gulf National Day, which is observed on April 29 every year. The day marks the anniversary of forcing out the Portuguese navy from the Strait of Hormuz in the Capture of Ormuz (1622).

The Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, with more than 4,900 kilometers of coastline in Iran, are home to one of the richest marine ecosystems in the world. The DOE has implemented different measures to conserve the biodiversity of the marine ecosystems, such as developing a data strategy and planning tool to implement scientific and data-driven decision-making.

Any preserving measure without legal support and control will fail to succeed. In order to strengthen the regulatory and legal framework, the DOE has developed and issued seawater quality standards, discharge regulations at sea, dredging guidelines, waste disposal regulations, and guidelines on oil pollution damage assessment, the official added.

The DOE is implementing other programs such as coral restoration, registering coastal wetlands in the Ramsar Convention, developing a national action plan for mangrove conservation, and monitoring the marine environment, Ansari further noted.