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The marine turtle has been effectively saved from the verge of extinction in what researchers are calling a major preservation victory.

Once heavily pursued for culinary purposes, its young as a luxury food and ornamental carapaces, the ancient mariner saw its numbers drop sharply and has been classified as at-risk since the eighties.

Now, thanks to decades of global conservation efforts - from protecting young and releasing hatchlings on beaches to reducing incidental catching in commercial nets - recent information shows marine turtle groups are rebounding.

Protection Efforts Produce Encouraging Results

These marine reptiles are one of the biggest varieties of ocean reptiles, named for the green-colored colour of their tissue fat, which comes from their herbivorous diet.

They are part of multiple existing varieties of sea turtles, two of them are severely threatened.

"Marine turtles are symbolic and appealing creatures... they motivate individuals," he noted. "Hundreds of thousands of people have been striving for long periods to work to conserve these animals, and definitely, it has had an impact."

The conservation efforts involve watching shores, securing females and their eggs at nesting sites, freeing baby turtles into the water, public outreach to minimize turtles being harvested for meat and offspring, and using measures to prevent turtles being captured in commercial nets.

Revised Endangered Species Inventory

The most recent Red List of endangered species was disclosed at a major global protection conference.

The worrisome inventory now features numerous types, of which many thousands are threatened with oblivion.

Species are transferred between classifications when updated information shows changes in their population, habitat or risks.

If a species becomes more at risk - for instance, its population fall or its environment is damaged - it may be shifted to a more threatened classification such as Endangered; if it improves thanks to conservation efforts, it may transition to a less threatened category like Near Threatened or Reduced Threat.

Persistent Problems

The green turtle has been moved from Threatened to Minimal Risk. However, despite present recovery, these marine reptiles are still far below their former population due to previous overharvesting and continuing threats like commercial fishing, environment degradation and global warming.

In places like specific areas, reduced young are appearing, showing that protection measures are still urgently required.

Other Creatures Encounter Growing Risks

The modification to the endangered registry brought worrisome updates for additional species, including Arctic seals, which are advancing more toward to oblivion as frozen water is lost to climate change.

The Arctic species has transitioned from Vulnerable to Critically Threatened, while the Arctic species are now Becoming Endangered due to reducing ocean ice.

Polar seals rely on ocean ice for breeding, sleeping and eating, and its reduction puts their continuation at threat.