Sea Turtles of the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the United States

Preface

Preface Sea turtles are an important part of our native fauna. Although rarely seen, they are seriously affected by human activities. Sea turtles must lay their eggs on beaches, and that need often puts them in conflict with human beach users. And because they feed in the same areas from which we gather our own seafood, many fall victim to commercial fishing gear. The purpose of this book is to raise awareness of sea turtles, their needs and their contributions, so that we may appreciate the species that live in the waters around us. The book is aimed at a general audience with little knowledge of sea turtles. The first part discusses general sea turtle biology. The individual species accounts that follow describe specific distributions, attributes, behaviors , and past and present threats to the survival of each species. The keys at the end of the book will help to identify species in various states of preservation, such as may be encountered on a beach. The glossary defines specialized terms. This page intentionally left blank ...