What is the survival rate of sea turtle hatchlings into adulthood?

The survival rate of sea turtle hatchlings into adulthood is indeed considered to be around one in a thousand. This statistic reflects the various challenges that hatchlings face in their early life stages, including predation, environmental hazards, and the difficulty of reaching maturity. Sea turtle eggs are often preyed upon by animals such as crabs, birds, and mammals, and once they hatch, the tiny turtle hatchlings must make a perilous journey from the beach to the ocean, where they may encounter additional threats, including larger fish and marine predators.

Reaching adulthood, which can take several decades, presents further challenges related to habitat loss, pollution, climate change, and the impact of human activities, such as fishing and coastal development. This high mortality rate underscores the importance of conservation efforts aimed at protecting both sea turtle nests and the habitats that support their life cycles. Consequently, the estimate that only one in a thousand hatchlings survive to become mature turtles highlights the critical state of many sea turtle populations globally.