Five of the worlds seven marine turtle species (green turtles, Chelonia mydas; hawksbill, Eretmochelys imbricata; olive ridley, Lepidochyles olivacea; leatherback, Dermochyles coriacea; and loggerhead, Caretta caretta use the Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape as foraging grounds and four of these (except the loggerhead) have been recorded to nest in the region. All these species are endangered mainly due to poaching and illegal wildlife trade and are listed on the IUCN Red List.
The Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape is located within the globally significant Coral Triangle, an area considered the center of the world’s marine biodiversity. The seascape spans 900,000 square kilometers (347,490 square miles) across the waters between Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.
| Species Name | Leatherback | Green turtles | Hawksbill | Olive Ridley | Loggerhead |
| Scientific Name | Dermochyles coriacea | Chelonia mydas | Eretmochelys imbricata | Lepidochyles olivacea | Caretta caretta |
| Length | 178cm carapace length | 125 cm carapace length | 91 cm carapace length | 70 cm carapace length | 114 cm carapace length |
| Weight | 320-600 kg adult weight | 113-230 kg adult weight | 36-90 kg adult weight | 35-50 kg adult weight | 113-180 kg adult weight |
| Classification | Endangered | Endangered | Critically Endangered | Endangered | Endangered |
********Sources / Further Reading********
- https://www.conservation.org/places/sulu-sulawesi-seascape
- Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) Nesting & Migration Patterns in the Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape