Loggerhead
Turtle
Economic importance of the Loggerhead:
There are several reasons why we should make an effort to keep the Loggerhead species alive.
Firstly, they have intrinsic value,meaning they
naturally have a right to be alive. they are popular and loved worldwide. Turtles are loved by just about everyone, because they are such sweet and docile creatures, and just like people, they deserve to keep living.
The turtles also have instramental value, meaning they provide a service to people. Several countries depend on the turtles as a source of income and actually desperately need the ecotourism the turtles bring to keep up their economy (Steiner, 2010). As many as 83% of the developing countries in the world depend on this ecotourism for their major export and several others also rely on ecotourism for their gross domestic product and employment level calculations (Lane, 2010). These countries include: Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Madagascar, to name a few (Lane, 2010).
The Loggerhead's Significance in the Economy
"The environment and the economy are really both two sides of the same coin. If we cannot sustain the environment, we cannot sustain ourselves." - Wangari Maathai
The turtles also help out humans on a daily basis by eating the jellyfish that
would normally sting and harm people. Currently, Japan is having a big problem with jellyfish being overpopulated in their waters because the turtles are going extinct. This is causing alarming repercussions all over the world, as the jellyfish populations are growing more and more, a larger scale of people will be affected (Guilford, 2015).
Not to mention that hundreds of other species depend on the turtles for their own
survival (Loggerhead Turtle, 2015). If we let them go extinct we wouldn’t just lose them, we would have to mourn the loss of a healthy ocean ecosystem, a nutrient rich sea floor, and an ocean with a balanced population of jellyfish (Wilson, 2015). They don't just just help under the water, they also are incredibly important in beaches happy and healthy, too. Sea turtles improve their nesting beaches by supplying 25 limited nutrients that that beach might not ordinarily get without the turtles there. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, are added to the ecosystem, sadly, by unhatched sea turtle eggs. These nutrients then help the plants grow, which in turn stabilizes the shoreline and the dune ecosystem (Wilson, 2015). All of us are lucky to have these turtles to take care of the beaches we frequent.
They are also valuable aesthetically and have a deep methodical purpose
within certain groups. It would also mean the loss of a species with magical and spiritual connotations. The turtles are a symbol in certain indigenous mythologies. They are thought to be creatures of creation, longevity, and wisdom in these cultures (General Information, 2015). The turtles have also been used in Hawaiian customs and traditions for decades (Sea Turtles in Culture, 2014).
"If you really think the environment is less important than the economy, try holding your breath while you count your money."
- Dr. Guy McPherson
Cost of preservation:
Furthermore, from an economic standpoint, the
cost to save these majestic creatures is much lower than the conservation costs of other endangered species. The total cost would be around $6,390,000 (Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta), 2014) compared to the $78,000,000 the United States spent to protect the Bald Eagle (Platt, 2009). Which is another species with deep sentimental and symbolic meaning for The United States.
The loggerhead needs to be saved. It is
economically more affordable than other species, it is important to people, it helps our ecosystem, it is vital to the survival of other animals, it has a right to survive, it helps people on the daily, and it is important to several cultures and countries all around the world. No one wants to have their future generations grow up without ever knowing or seeing a sea turtle. The loggerhead deserves to survive, and it’s our job to help it.
