Ocean health is rapidly declining, threatening the survival of humans, animals, and plants, while also undermining progress toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. In response, the UN declared 2021–2030 the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, a global framework to foster collaboration, science-based action, and sustainable ocean management.
This project proposes using leatherback turtles as sentinels of ocean health. As an endangered species with a critical ecological role and direct interaction with marine ecosystems, leatherbacks can serve as early warning indicators of environmental decline. By studying their responses to changing ocean conditions, this research will generate valuable insights to guide conservation and support global efforts to restore and sustain healthy oceans.
