Turtle May at SEA LIFE

All seven species of marine turtle are listed as either endangered or vulnerable to becoming extinct… meaning that our turtles are in trouble! One of the main threats to turtles is plastic pollution with many turtles mistaking plastic for food which they are unable to digest and causes 'floaters syndrome'. Another major threat to turtles is getting caught in fishing gear, traps and nets which can be fatal. Kelly Tarlton's and the SEA LIFE Trust provide New Zealand's only turtle rehabilitation centre, and we've been working to save turtles since 1991.

What can you do to help?

Here are some simple actions you can take to help protect our turtles:

• Choose to reuse for plastic free seas. Get yourself a reusable coffee cup, water bottle and shopping bag and you've saved a significant amount of plastic debris entering our oceans
• Help clean-up our beaches. Remember to throw away your rubbish and keep our beaches clean
• Learn and get active. By learning more about what's going on around you, you'll be able to understand what is helping to destroy or protect our aquatic environments and those we share it with.

Don't forget to come and visit Kelly Tarlton's four rescued sea turtles, who are currently recuperating in our Shipwreck Discovery Zone and getting strong over winter in preparation for their release back out to sea.

Keep an eye out for more exciting Turtle Month celebrations and ways you can help protect our sea turtles!