The silent demise of turtles and tortoises: Struggling to survive in the modern world

Turtles and tortoises, members of the order Testudines, have endured ice ages, continental shifts, and even the extinction of dinosaurs, embodying resilience and longevity. Yet, a recent global assessment published in Nature Communications paints a concerning picture: despite their evolutionary adaptability, these ancient reptiles are now highly vulnerable. Habitat destruction, climate change, pollution, and human encroachment are accelerating faster than turtles and tortoises can naturally adapt. The study highlights that more than half of the evaluated species are threatened or extinct, revealing that even species once considered nearly indestructible now face unprecedented risks in the Anthropocene.The comprehensive study published in Nature Communications evaluated 378 species of turtles, tortoises, and terrapins, making it the most thorough analysis of extinction risks in this group to date. The findings are alarming: more than half of the species assessed are either threatened or already extinct. Species with larger body sizes, restricted geographical ranges, and high ecological distinctiveness are particularly at risk.The Indo-Malayan region emerges as a hotspot of crisis, housing critically imperilled species like the Asian giant softshell turtle (Pelochelys cantorii) and the Assam box turtle (Cuora praschagi). Entire families, including softshell turtles (Trionychidae) and Asian river turtles (Geoemydidae), teeter on the brink of extinction.The study also modelled extinction risk for 43 species classified as data-deficient, species whose conservation status had not yet been evaluated. Shockingly, nearly one in five of these species is likely threatened, including the Sicilian pond turtle (Emys trinacris) and the flatback turtle (Natator depressus), which exclusively nests along northern Australian shores.The research highlights a key challenge: turtles’ evolutionary adaptations occur over millennia, but current environmental changes are happening at unprecedented speed. Traits such as body size, reproductive lifespan, and behavioural adaptations simply cannot evolve quickly enough to cope with rapid habitat destruction, climate change, and human expansion. This mismatch between biological inertia and planetary acceleration is pushing many species toward extinction faster than ever recorded.Despite the grim outlook, some turtles and tortoises are showing remarkable behavioural flexibility. Certain species have begun altering nest timing or relocating nesting sites in response to changing climates. While these adaptations offer hope, they are unlikely to compensate for the widespread and accelerating threats posed by habitat degradation, pollution, and human encroachment.The Nature Communications study underscores the urgent need for proactive conservation measures. Protecting critical habitats, implementing breeding and relocation programmes, and enforcing anti-poaching laws are essential steps to prevent further declines. Raising public awareness and supporting global initiatives to safeguard turtles and tortoises can help ensure these ancient reptiles continue to survive for future generations.Also read | NASA discovers new shape of the solar system’s bubble: Not a comet, but a croissant