Species under Threat

Sea turtle

Turtles

Hawskbill Sea Turtle

The illegal trade of hawskbill sea turtles is driving the species toward extinction in Chinese waters. According to the World Wildlife Fund, Hawksbills have declined globally by over 80% during the last century. The turtle's shells are being processed and sold as items such as rings, necklaces and bracelets. Even with protection under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and other laws, there is still extensive illegal trade in hawksbill shells and products. Through recent investigations, Pacific Environment uncovered several underground shops in Sanya and Guangzhou, and found that a larger number of hawksbill products have been sold to tourists.

Leatherback Sea Turtle

The leatherback turtle is the largest marine turtle and one of the largest living reptiles on the planet. Leatherbacks are also one of the most migratory of all marine turtle species, making both trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific crossings. They are easily distinguished by their leathery carapace and their long front flippers.

As the largest marine turtle, the leatherback sea turtle is threatened mostly by incidental catch in fishing gear, poaching of their eggs, and ingestion of plastic trash in the ocean. On land their eggs are often stolen and sold as a delicacy. Turtles are also captured to supply the trade for their meat, oil, leather, and attractive shell. In China, reports have shown accidental catching of leatherbacks in Qingdao, Shangdong province. Chinese high seas fishing boats have also been documented for catching Leatherback sea turtles.

Sharks

Over half of the world's shark species are considered endangered or vulnerable. Since sharks are top predators, they play a vital role in the health of ocean and marine ecosystems. Severe declines in shark numbers could have damaging impacts on important seafood species such as tuna and sardines.

Shark finning and incidental by-catch poses the greatest threats to several shark species. With the growth of China's middle and upper classes, more people can afford shark fin soup, further stimulating the trade of shark fin. Once the shark's fins are removed, they are simply tossed back into the ocean to die. Around 100 million sharks are killed each year for the largely China-driven global trade in shark fin and other parts.

Hammerheads are among the most frequently taken shark species in illegal fishing. Scalloped Hammerheads are exploited primarily to satisfy a growing global demand for their fins, as their fins are among the most valued in trade due to their large size and high "needlecount." Overall, hammerhead sharks are thought to have declined by more than 99%.While they are the ocean's largest predators, Great White Sharks are sought out for their fins, cartilage, jaws, liver, blood and eyes, but not their meat. The non-aggressive, slow-moving Whale Shark is the world's largest fish, measuring up to 40-50 feet in length. It's been reported that one large fin from a whale shark can now sell for more than $10,000 in China.

Both great white sharks and whale sharks are protected in China, but are still at risk from commercial fishing and the illegal fin trade. Over the years, Taiwan has been a main market for whale sharks.

Spotted Seal

In areas around China and Russia, spotted seals are in great danger. There are an estimated 3,300 spotted seals remaining in Liaodong Bay, China and in Peter the Great Bay, Russia. In October of 2010, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association listed the southern spotted seal populate as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act, strictly regulating the importation of the animal or its parts into the U.S. While legally protected in China, spotted seals are currently under threat from illegal hunting and capture, entanglement in fishing nets, loss of habitat, shortage of food, and disturbance.

Pacific Environment's China program has been working on spotted seal conservation efforts for many years. Our partner, Blue Dalian, has been active in investigating a nuclear power plant that would have been constructed near one of the breeding grounds of the spotted seal in Bohai Bay. Blue Dalian was able to report key findings on the project's environmental impacts to the spotted seal habitat. Pacific Environment works with the NGO Green Korea on its spotted seal research in the Yellow Sea and the Sea of Japan. And, our China Program has worked in coalition with other NGOs to stop Canadian seal products from being sold in China.

Coral Ecosystems

Corals in China are mostly distributed in the South China Sea. Tourism development, land reclamation, marine pollution and illegal collecting are putting these fragile coral ecosystems at risk. Growing affluence in mainland China has enabled aquarium hobbyists to keep live corals, thus stimulating their collection and trade. Dead corals are often traded and sold as decorations. Red coral, though protected under the Chinese law, are also openly sold in tourist markets.

Mangrove Ecosystems

Mangroves form a characteristic saline woodland or shrubland habitat, called a mangrove swamp or mangrove forest. Mangroves dominate three quarters of tropical coastlines and blanket China from Zhejiang to Hainan Island.

These forests are like coral reefs and sand dunes in that they act as an important buffer against tsunamis and storm surges. They also serve to protect shorelines from erosion, act as nursery areas for fish and invertebrates, and support threatened and endangered species. China's mangrove forests are under enormous stress from human activity, coastal development - including coastal real estate development and petrochemical projects, and climate change