Ancient Ocean Voyager Makes a Triumphant Comeback

One of the ocean’s oldest travellers has made an extraordinary recovery. Once pushed to the edge of extinction by hunting and habitat loss, the green sea turtle has officially been reclassified from Endangered to Least Concern on the IUCN Red List — a remarkable conservation success decades in the making.

“The ongoing global recovery of the green turtle is a powerful example of what coordinated global conservation over decades can achieve,” said Roderic Mast, co-chair of IUCN’s Marine Turtle Specialist Group. “Sea turtles cannot survive without healthy oceans and coasts, and humans can’t either.”

From nesting beach patrols to safer fishing practices, international cooperation has helped the species rebound across many regions. Once prized for their meat and shells, green turtles now symbolise the power of persistence. Proof that long-term protection and healthy oceans can bring even the most threatened species back from the brink.