Sea Turtles

Of the six species of Sea Turtles in the Great Barrier Reef, all of them are endangered.  To find nesting sites, they have to swim GREAT distances.  The sea turtles will lay about 50 or more eggs.  One main reason sea turtles are endangered is because their eggs are stolen.  It is now illegal to poach turtle eggs. Turtle eggs were poached for consumption. Some countries or cultures would eat turtle eggs.

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Dugong

The Dugong is also known as the Sea Cow.  The dugong eats/grazes on plants all day long, like a cow does.  It can weigh up to 2,000 pounds!  Hunting is the reason the dugong is endangered.  From a dugong's teeth and bones are sold as jewelry made of ivory.  It's hide is used to make leather.  In some sort of way, the rest of the body is also sold.

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Blue Whale

The Blue Whale is the LARGEST animal in the world.  It can weigh up to 150 tons and 88 feet in length!  The blue whale only eats krill, a small invertabrates.  The blue whale is endangered mainly beacuse of hunting.  To make money, whalers kill these large animals.  The few remaining blue whales left in the ocean are now protected because it is now illegal to hunt whales.

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