三级aa视频在线观看-三级国产-三级国产精品一区二区-三级国产三级在线-三级国产在线

  Home>News Center>World
         
 

Mexico's leatherback still endangered
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-06-22 09:54

Despite nearly two decades of conservation efforts, the world's biggest sea turtle species continues to disappear from Mexican waters and is sliding toward extinction around the globe, federal officials said Monday.

The leatherback can grow to 6 to 8 feet (1.8 to 2.4 meters) long and weigh between 1,200 and 1,500 pounds (545 to 680 kilograms). The species is included on red-alert extinction lists worldwide.


Leatherback hatchlings are protected in Puerto Rico. Despite conservation efforts, the turtles' numbers continue to decline. [cnn.com]
In Mexico, an adult population of 115,000 in 1982 dwindled to between 20,000 and 30,000 by 1996, officials said at a news conference.

"If we don't do something, we could lose the species in a very short time," said Oscar Ramirez, director of field operations for the wildlife division of the federal environmental prosecutor's office, Profepa.

Efforts to protect the leatherback have slowed its rate of disappearance, but the species likely won't begin recovering for at least 15 years, said Luis Fueyo, Profepa's director of inspections.

Laws designed to protect sea turtles in Mexico were first approved in 1988 and they were tightened last year.

Those caught trafficking turtles now can face up to nine years in prison.

During 139 sting operations in 2003, federal agents confiscated 231,975 turtle eggs and 101 products made using turtles and arrested 59 people. Through April of this year, federal laws had been used to prosecute nine people, Fueyo said.

Federal agents now patrol 23 beaches and keep an eye on nearby highways, looking to nab smugglers transporting turtle goods, Fueyo said.

The sale of turtle eggs and meat to restaurants is common in nearly all of southern and western Mexico and the practice stretches as far inland as Mexico City, according to Profepa.

In the north, the sale of shells, boots and other clothing made from turtle skin is popular, as is the illegal capture and sale of the reptiles as pets, according to Profepa.

Conservation efforts include the creation of 23 sea-turtle sanctuaries in 12 Mexican states as well as agreements with people in beachfront communities nationwide to police their communities for illegal sea turtle hunting, Fueyo said.

Mammoth nets used for commercial fishing -- especially aboard those vessels trolling Mexican waters for shrimp and sharks -- often inadvertently trap turtles, further threatening their fragile populations.

New guidelines require fisherman to abstain from spreading nets in turtle-rich areas. Also, last month, Profepa signed an agreement with Mexico's largest fishing organization to better protect turtles, Fueyo said.

Mexican waters are home to seven of the world's eight major species of sea turtle.

Despite setbacks for leatherbacks, conservation efforts have been more successful for other species. In Mexico, the adult population of Olive Ridley sea turtles went from fewer than 3,000 in 1992 to nearly three times that six years later. Its population fell back to just under 5,000 by the year 2001, however.

The Kemp's Ridley species, the smallest variety of sea turtle, saw its population rise from 702 Mexican nests in 1985 to more than 6,400 between 2002 and 2003.



 
  Today's Top News     Top World News
 

NPC weighs momentous new bankruptcy law

 

   
 

Asian nations vows to meet oil needs

 

   
 

FM sets up new branch to enhance security

 

   
 

Pro-independence investors not welcome

 

   
 

Japan-born panda cub happy back

 

   
 

US generals to be summoned in abuse scandal

 

   
  Mexico's leatherback still endangered
   
  Iran confiscates three British boats
   
  Castro warns Bush against launching attack
   
  Five US troops killed in Iraq
   
  Private craft soars into space, history
   
  S.Korea to send Iraq troops despite kidnapping
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
  News Talk  
  Does the approval of UN resolution on Iraq end daily bloodshed there?  
Advertisement
         
主站蜘蛛池模板: 亚洲欧美一区二区三区综合 | 欧美日韩中文在线视频 | 亚洲精品一区二区综合 | 在线播放黄色网址 | 在线播放国产麻豆 | 日韩色在线观看 | 日本高清动作片www网站免费 | 久久免费精品 | 国产精品系列在线观看 | 成年人啪啪网站 | 亚洲人视频在线观看 | 91视频免费播放 | 国产在线不卡午夜精品2021 | 精品一区二区三区自拍图片区 | 国产成人精品日本亚洲直接 | 国产精品视频第一区二区 | 国产视频一区二 | 国产精品欧美日韩视频一区 | 国产欧美国产精品第二区 | 污视频网页 | 欧美小younv 欧美性xxxxx极品老少 | 亚洲精品国产成人 | 亚洲国产一二三 | a4yy欧美一区二区三区 | 一级毛片不卡免费看老司机 | 国产人成精品香港三级古代 | 亚洲欧美综合另类 | 九九热在线视频免费观看 | 在线观看精品国语偷拍 | 在线视频 91 | 99久久精品6在线播放 | 欧美黄色a级| 亚洲第一区在线观看 | 中国xxnxx免费 | 久久美女| 成人精品国产亚洲欧洲 | 老人与老人免费a级毛片 | 全免费a级毛片 | 国产尤物二区三区在线观看 | 99综合网 | 黄色污在线观看 |