All of the turtles housed at The Turtle Sanctuary have been donated, abandoned or confiscated, and so were in need of a good home. The world's populations of these species of turtles are affected by their collection for the pet trade.
We built the sanctuary to give a home and proper care for these turtles in need as well as to educate people about their plight and ways that they can help. Each turtle that lives with us here at The Scottish SEA LIFE Sanctuary has a unique story to tell, and we look forward to your visits to hear all about them.
Six of the seven species of marine turtles are listed as Endangered or Critically Endangered, and the outlook is increasingly grim. Marine turtles have the ability to reproduce abundantly; females can lay hundreds of eggs in one nesting season. Even under natural conditions, relatively few young turtles survive their first year of life. Predators such as crabs, foxes and birds often kill the hatchlings as they make their way from the nest to the sea.
Marine turtles are also threatened by humans who harvest turtle eggs and the destruction of nesting beaches. It takes decades for young turtles to reach maturity and start to breed, and adult turtles must live to reproduce over many years for the population to thrive. Fewer and fewer turtles are living long enough to reproduce because of various threats.