Sea turtles play key roles in two ecosystems that are critical to them as well as to humans—the oceans and beaches/dunes. If sea turtles were to become extinct, the negative impact on beaches and the oceans would potentially be significant.

In the oceans, for example, sea turtles, especially green sea turtles, are one of the very few creatures (manatees are another) that eat a type of vegetation called sea grass that grows on the sea floor. Sea grass must be kept short to remain healthy, and beds of healthy sea grass are essential breeding and development areas for many species of fish and other marine life. A decline or loss of sea grass beds would mean a loss of the marine species that directly depend on the beds, which would trigger a chain reaction and negatively impact marine and human life. When one part of an ecosystem is destroyed, the other parts will follow.

Beaches and dunes are a fragile ecosystem that does not get many nutrients to support its vegetation, which is needed to help prevent erosion. Sea turtles contribute nutrients to dune vegetation from their eggs. Every year, sea turtles lay countless numbers of eggs in beaches during nesting season. Along one twenty-mile (32 km) stretch of beach in Florida alone, for example, more than 150,000 pounds of eggs are laid each year. Nutrients from hatched eggs as well as from eggs that never hatch and from hatchlings that fail to make it into the ocean are all sources of nutrients for dune vegetation. A decline in the number of sea turtles means fewer eggs laid, less nutrients for the sand dunes and its vegetation, and a higher risk for beach erosion.

Why shouldn’t we protect turtles?

Turtles have existed for over 100 million years, travelling unhindered throughout the world's oceans. Today, they are struggling to survive, mainly because of things people are doing to the oceans and beaches. It is possible that a world in which turtles continue to die in large numbers, may soon become a world in which humans struggle to survive.

If, however, we learn from our mistakes and begin changing our behavior, there is still time to save turtles from extinction. In the process, we will not only be saving one of the world’s most mysterious creatures, a survivor from the age of the dinosaurs, we might just be saving ourselves too

A New Kuta Beach Sea Turtles Conservation

Who don't familiar with the beauty of Kuta beach? Tourists both from foreign and domestic visit the beach every day to see the famous surf. They also enjoy the splash of heat and its enchantment in the dawn in the Westside. Surprisingly none considers that now Kuta beach is also home for sea turtle. Historically, almost whole beaches in Bali were landing beaches. Along with the running time, now only few beaches left for turtle to lay eggs. One of the beaches is Kuta Beach is located in the front of INNA KUTA BEACH area. The beach is not only visited by tourists but sea turtle to lay eggs. This is surprising since the beach surrounding is crowded by buildings.

Sea turtles that land on the beach are olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea). In 2002 85 newly hatched olive ridley turtle to the sea. And now still waiting for another eggs to hatch. In order to safe keeping the landed turtle on Kuta beach, Inna Kuta Beach and the Kuta Safeguard (satgas) cooperate with ProFauna Bali Office to make the rescue effort in Kuta beach. The program started in 2002 consists of nest protection with its eggs, the setting up of alert board in some beaches where turtle use to lay eggs. ProFauna also arranges training on managing and rescuing sea turtle for the Kuta safeguard. Later, in 2003, Human Society International supports the protection program in Kuta.

Although Bali is famous as the central of its turtle slaughtering habit (centralized in Tanjung Benoa) but this cooperation hopefully a positive aspects about sea turtle protection in Bali. This program puts aside such opinion that Balinese are fond of consuming turtle meat. There turn out to be many who care about turtle protection like Kuta people lead by Kuta safeguard. Without being paid, they work hard to protect the landed turtle to lay eggs in Kuta beach. However, the most important thing is that turtle release is free from commercial aspects!
The impact from sea turtle protection programs in Kuta is the rise of awareness and ability of Kuta Village and Inna Kuta Beach in handling the nesting sea turtles. both has shown their more support to the sea turtles protection programs