Diamondback turtle numbers have declined 75% in most of their habitat over the last half century. Today, conservationists are trying to give these turtles a lifeline through federal protection.

In the past, Chesapeake Bay Magazinethis reptile was overexploited in places like Maryland and Virginia, where turtle soup was once a regular food source. Today, it faces a deluge of other threats across its range, which stretches from Massachusetts to Texas. These include habitat loss due to sea level rise, coastal development, pollution and boat and vehicle collisions. Additionally, one of the most imminent threats to these turtles is drown in crab pots.

To help, the Center for Biological Diversity is partnering with 20 other organizations to ensure the species is protected under the Endangered Species Act. The groups filed a petition at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in September.

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“Tens of thousands of turtles drown in crab traps every year,” Will Harlan, a senior CBD scientist, told Chesapeake Bay Magazine. “Without the lifeline of Endangered Species Act protection, they will slide into extinction.”

The diamondback turtle is a keystone species in the salt marshes and mangroves it inhabits, according to CBD. An important ecosystem service provided by these reptiles is the consumption of marsh snails, which can harm marsh grasses when they reach high numbers. Culling these snail populations helps keep these ecosystems healthy, which directly benefits humans.

For example, mangroves help reduce the impacts of flooding on coastal communities during extreme events like hurricanes, according to The Nature Conservancy. The organization also explains that these unique ecosystems trap and store carbon in their soils, helping us mitigate the impacts of an overheating planet.

If granted Endangered Species Act status, turtles will join a number of other animals that have received such protections. For example, California’s gray wolf population has recently double thanks to state and federal protections. Likewise, Great Britain is seeing a to come back of beneficial beavers thanks to reintroduction efforts in this region.

“On behalf of the more than 400 scientists and conservationists who make up the (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group, I urge you to take action measures to protect the diamondback tortoise at the federal level,” said Craig Stanford, president. of the group, said in a statement included in the petition. “Extensive scientific studies have shown that, from habitat loss to road mortality to crab trap drownings, this species is at risk.

“Diamondback tortoises are in danger of extinction throughout a significant portion of their range,” the petition states. “They urgently need both listing and designated critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act to protect this iconic and unique American species, emblematic of our estuarine and coastal habitats in decline.”

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