Green Sea Turtle Downlisted from Endangered to Least Concern After Decades of Conservation

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) officially reclassified the green sea turtle from Endangered to Least Concern on the Red List of Threatened Species, announced at the 2025 IUCN World Conservation Congress. This remarkable recovery followed decades of intensive conservation efforts.

Protection of nesting and foraging habitats, reduction of vessel strikes in coastal areas, and minimization of disturbances to mating and nesting turtles all contributed to the population rebound. The species had been listed as endangered since the 1980s.

“This remarkable recovery followed decades of intensive conservation efforts.”

Conservationists celebrated the news as proof that sustained, coordinated international efforts can reverse species decline. 'This is exactly the kind of success story we need,' said one IUCN spokesperson. 'It shows that when we commit to protecting wildlife, recovery is possible.'