Wake of Hope: Future of Sea Turtles

By: Hohyeon Lee

This speech, titled "Wake of Hope: Future of Sea Turtles," reflects my journey from witnessing the problem to becoming part of the solution.

It is a story about how deeply our everyday actions are connected to the survival of marine life and the health of our planet. Whether you are a student, an environmentalist, or someone simply interested in the world beneath the waves, I hope my words inspire you to see that real change begins with even the smallest decisions.

Below is the full transcript of my TEDx talk:

“Imagine inheriting a problem you had nothing to do with ……but shouldering its consequences. That's the reality WE face as the younger generation ….alongside the countless animals we share the planet with. These thoughts fueled my journey, to uncover solutions. Along the way, I found something unexpected: a sense of responsibility and a glimmer of hope. The truth is clear: our oceans are in crisis, and when nature fails, human life is also affected. 

Over 240,000 species have been identified in our oceans, from the tiniest plankton to the majestic blue whales. But here’s the truth… scientists estimate that the number only scratches the surface. Oceanographer Edith Widder estimates that as many as 2 million species remain undiscovered. Yet,.. even with so much unknown, ONE thing is certain: that we are losing them at an alarming rate. According to the WWF, the marine populations have declined nearly 50% since 1970. 

Why? The answer floats right in front of us, 

plastic pollution. I heard in news and articles about the trash island floating on the ocean, but I did not acknowledge the seriousness of the problem until I witnessed one. On a service trip to Manila-Philippines, right next to a small town, there was a mountain of trash that was bigger than the town itself, and it left me speechless. To think of the countless other places or the size of the actual trash island is shocking. Right now, our ocean contains an estimated 5.25 TRILLION plastic particles, weighing around 250,000 metric tons. It’s NOT just a problem of aesthetics… but plastic affects every level of the marine food chain, from microscopic plankton to apex predators like sharks. 

Well, sea turtles, in particular, have become the symbol of the crisis. As they are widely known to show both internal AND external effects of plastics. These creatures, which have existed for over 100 MILLION years, are now on the edge.. of extinction. Let me take you deeper into their story. 

Green sea turtles, 3-4 feet long when grown up, weigh up to 400 pounds and are one of the oldest species on Earth. It mainly consumes algae, seaweed, and jellyfish. Imagine this…. in the distance… the green sea turtle spots what it thinks is a jellyfish, its favorite meal. But it’s not a jellyfish, it is a plastic bag~. This mistake is not rare. A study conducted by the University of Queensland found that 52% of all sea turtles have consumed plastic at some point in their lives. Plastic ingestion increases their mortality risk significantly. Even a single piece of plastic in their stomach raises the chance of death by 22%. Swallowing over 14 pieces increases the risk to 50%. 

The internal damage caused by plastic is severe. Sharp fragments can puncture their organs, leading to internal bleeding and infection. Bags and larger pieces often cause fatal blockages, leading to slow starvation. Worse still, ingesting plastic can alter the gut microbiome, weakening the immune system over time. 

And it’s not just ingestion, entanglement is Equally devastating. Sea turtles rely on their strong flippers for survival but discarded fishing nets, also known as ghost nets, and other plastic debri often trap them. Researchers at the University of Exeter revealed that 91% of entangled turtles are found dead or severely injured. These nets, leave turtles dragging heavy burdens, cutting into their skin, and even amputating flippers. 

Consider “Cooter B”, a green sea turtle found tangled in ghost nets after getting struck by a boat. The flippers were deeply damaged, and despite the eventual rescue, the turtle lost a flipper, raising concerns about its capability of surviving in the wild. Stories like these highlight not just the physical toll but the broader impact on the environment of our actions. 

Sea turtles are KEYstone species. They play critical roles in their ecosystem, keeping seagrass beds healthy and controlling jellyfish populations. Their loss would affect everything from coral reefs to commercial fisheries. 

During my time volunteering, I worked closely with sea turtles. The first day began cleaning their tanks. These tanks were temporary shelters for turtles recovering from injuries or illnesses. 

As I scrubbed algae from the walls, I thought about how these creatures have been ROBBED of their natural habitat by human carelessness. 

When I arrived at the center, there was this one turtle named “Hope.” I was told by the people there that she had suffered from fishing net entanglement, and her flipper was SO strangled that it had to be amputated. Although she is a marine animal supposed to swim across the oceans, she couldn’t swim straight or be free, which made her stay in an isolated tank. I kept working with her to rehaBIlitate her and make her able to swim. But no matter what we tried, she could not. It was truly devastating to see how humans are hurting marine life. 

Volunteering for the animal protection center deepened my understanding of the interconnectedness of marine life. Seeing turtles with scars from fishing hooks or nets caused by entanglement was heartbreaking, but it was also a powerful reminder of human resPOnsibility. 

Now you might be wondering, what can I do, I’m just one person. Let me tell you this, every. single. action. matters. Start small. 

1 Reduce single-use plastics. Did you know that globally, we produce 300 million tons of plastic annually, and only 9% is recycled? That plastic straw, bottle, or bag might seem insignificant, but collectively, as a whole, they add up to a monumental problem. 

2 Participate in beach clean-ups. Beaches are the LAST line of defense before plastics reaches the ocean. 

3 Support ocean conservation organizations and groups, like the WWF, that are doing vital work, from habitat restoration to policy advocacy. Your donations and participation contribute to their efforts. You can also participate in conservation programs just like I did. 

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I want to leave you with a story of hope. 

On my final day of volunteering, when I went to the tank that “Hope” was in,... she was gone. I thought she was dead, but then I realized she had moved to a bigger tank where other sea turtles were rehabilitating.

In the water full of algae, I could easily spot Hope with her amputated left flipper. The last image of Hope was not her in an isolated tank being dependent on humans, but it was her swimming independently with other turtles, leaving small,  but sure,  ripples,  showing her will to live. 

This isn’t just about sea turtles. It’s about saving ecosystems. And it’s about saving ourselves. 

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So, I leave with this question, what will YOU do today to protect our oceans? Remember, every action, no matter how small, creates ripples. Let’s make them count. 

Thank you.”