Green Turtles Rescued from Extinction Through Global Conservation Efforts

As of October 11th, 2025, green turtles have made a remarkable comeback from the brink of extinction thanks to global conservation efforts. These marine reptiles, once heavily hunted for their eggs, decorative shells, and use in turtle soup, were listed as endangered since the 1980s.

However, over the past decade, various initiatives to preserve the species have paid off. Efforts such as releasing hatchlings on beaches and protecting turtle eggs have allowed the green turtle population to rebound. This conservation success is being hailed as a major victory by scientists.

One key factor in the turtles' recovery was the Daily Mail's 'Banish the Bags' campaign, launched back in 2008. The campaign's front-page image of an endangered green turtle tangled in plastic bags led to the introduction of a 5p charge on plastic shopping bags in the UK. This resulted in more than nine billion fewer plastic bags being used every year, significantly reducing the threat to marine life.

Despite these gains, green turtles are still below their historic population levels due to past exploitation, overfishing, and the impacts of climate change. Experts emphasize that this win should be used as a catalyst to achieve numerous other conservation victories for endangered species around the world.