Already at risk from oil spills, hunting and habitat destruction, sea turtles have another obstacle to contend with: decompression sickness, also known as the bends. Scientists claim the sickness has been diagnosed for the first time in loggerhead sea turtles, with individuals accidentally caught in fishing nets most likely to suffer.
Gabon has declared nearly a quarter of its territorial sea off-limits to commercial fishing. The central African nation is home to a variety of threatened species including great hammerhead sharks, manta rays and whale sharks.
Sea turtles have evolved a set of defenses against sharks, using their unusual shape, and their ability to flexibly change direction to evade these efficient predators. In this case, a tiger shark is shown attacking a sea turtle.
"Bangladesh brings us excellent news as we prepare for the World Parks Congress, a once-in-a-decade event where the conservation community from around the world will gather to discuss and make progress in improving the management and expansion of protected areas on the land and in the oceans," said Dr. Cristián Samper, Wildlife Conservation Society’s president and CEO.
