Seabirds, seals, manatees, and sea turtles are very different from each other and have many different lifestyles, but they face common dangers.

Many marine mammals are on the brink of extinction, and some, such as the manatee, has lost the fight for survival. However, they are still under constant threat from humans.

Seabirds

Fregata andrewsi

Fregata andrewsi is a large tropical seabird belonging to the frigate bird family. It is mainly found in the Indian Ocean, with Christmas Island as its breeding ground. It preys on fish on the surface of the water and in the shallows; often snatches fish caught by other seabirds, so it is also known as the "pirate bird".

White-bellied frigate birds are large oceanic birds, nearly 1 meter in length, with females generally larger than males and blue-gray beak crests. It is very long, with a hook-shaped curved tip and a red throat capsule that can be used to temporarily store captured food. The wings are narrow and the metacarpal and phalanges of the lower arms are particularly extended, reaching up to 2 m when the wings are spread.

The white-bellied frigate bird is very rare, with an estimated total of fewer than 1,600 pairs worldwide. Not only is it a Class I protected species in China, but it is also listed in the International Bird Conservation Committee's Red Book of the World's Endangered Birds.

Albatross

The short-tailed albatross is large, with a short neck, stout and strong body, and a short tail. The beak is long and strong, covered by many cuticular segments, and the upper beak apex is flexed downward. The wings are narrow and extra-large, spreading up to 3 meters. It is white all over, with the back of its neck slightly yellowish. The wings, shoulders, and tail are grayish brown, and the inner wings are white with overlying plumage. In flight, the feet extend back behind the tail.

Short-tailed albatrosses cannot fly in the air to catch prey or dive for food, but only feed on the surface of the water for eggs, shrimp, fish, and Mollusks, etc. feed on them. Short-tailed albatrosses generally live 40 to 60 years. They usually fly at sea for 5 years before returning to the island where they were born to start breeding, and once they pair up, they stay together for life!

The short-tailed albatross is a very rare seabird, the largest of the albatrosses, and the only one with a white body. This rare white plumage triggers a wild hunt by humans. The baited hooks that people place in the sea have also become killers of short-tailed albatrosses. Increasing marine pollution has also affected the habitat of the albatross and reduced their diet.

As a result, the number of short-tailed albatrosses has been reduced to 50 in the last century. The short-tailed albatross is a national-level protected species and is listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Mammals

Hawaiian seal

The Hawaiian seal is found only in the east-central Pacific Ocean Hawaiian Islands. The Hawaiian monk seal is the only species of seal that lives year-round in tropical waters.

Except during the breeding season, Hawaiian monk seals are usually solitary, occasionally living in small groups. They are nocturnal. Spending a lot of time at sea foraging for food, return to shore to sleep after a full meal.

They face threats not only from human activity but also from some large marine species such as tiger sharks and Galapagos sharks. Hawaiian monk seals are often entangled in fishing nets and debris and are killed.

The Hawaiian monk seal is a critically endangered species on the IUCN list of endangered species.

Florida manatee

Manatees are independent and have to live with their own kind during the winter. Lacking the insulating blubber found in whales, manatees have to huddle in hot springs and power plant emissions around the facility.

In Florida, the constant expansion of residential areas, trade, and farming often encroaches on the waters, resulting in reduced flows of natural hot springs and precarious overwintering habitat for manatees.

Manatees in Florida live in freshwater rivers, estuaries, the Atlantic coast, and the Gulf Coast. Habitat loss, high stillbirth rates, and poisoning from pesticides and herbicides are major problems for this endangered marine animal. They are also often accidentally run over by sailboats due to their slow and stealthy nature.

The Florida coast, with its polluted water, has been experiencing red tides and manatee deaths for years. The subspecies "Florida manatee" - endangered (EN) is listed in the IUCN 2012 Red List of Endangered Species ver3.1.

Marine Reptile

hawksbill turtle

Hawksbill turtle is normally found in waters deeper than 18.3 meters. Different habitats to live in.

Hawksbill turtle is a large and fierce carnivore in the sea. It is often found in coral reefs and mainly eats fish, shrimp, crabs, and mollusks, as well as seaweed.

It is estimated that in the tropical regions of the world's oceans, bays and seas, the hawksbill turtle population has declined by 80 percent in the last century. Hawksbill turtles have been mercilessly killed in the tourist trade in the tropics for quite some time due to the massive traffic in meat and shells.

Even though the sale of hawksbill eggs is banned in many countries, there are unscrupulous traders who engage in this activity. The decline of hawksbill turtles has been attributed to the degradation of the coral reef species that they prey on. Inclusion in the Washington Convention CITES Class I protected species.

Inclusion in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN) 2008 ver 3.1- Critically endangered (CR).

Rank of China's National List of Key Wildlife under State Protection: Class II.

Bay Crocodile

The bay crocodile is the only species of crocodile that can live in seawater, the largest of the three crocodile species, and the world's largest reptile.

It is widespread in the tropical and subtropical regions of Southeast Asia, New Guinea, the Philippines, and northern Australia, inhabiting coastal harbors and lakes and rivers that lead to the open sea. That's why they're called saltwater crocodiles.

The wild Gulf crocodile is protected in most countries, but the effectiveness of protection in some countries is questionable.

The best internationally recognized protections are in Papua New Guinea and Australia, where wild populations are at Sustainable use and growth status.

Inclusion on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Impacts of COVID-19 on marine life

The new crown epidemic hits global commercial fishing, leaving marine life Opportunity for recuperation.

With fishing fleets in many countries around the world forced to be unable to go out to sea for fishing operations due to the new crown epidemic, according to an April 17 Bloomberg news article. It has objectively provided a brief respite for marine life. The "blockade" of the new coronavirus, which brought about a global disruption of commercial fishing, was not unlike a brief lull during the war. As in, the same thing.

The global demand for fish and seafood has plummeted as a result of the coronavirus crisis, potentially having an effect similar to the cessation of commercial fishing during the two world wars, when the idling of fleets led to the recovery of fish stocks.

The closure of restaurants and hotels, the need to maintain social distancing between major consumers of fish and seafood, and seafarers has left hundreds of fishing boats tied up in ports around the world.

Demand and prices have plummeted in Asia, home to the world's largest seafood and fish markets. In Spain, which has the largest fleet in the European Union, half of the ships are anchored in ports.

But the marine environment can only benefit from reduced pressure on populations. Duarte said that, while evidence of marine life recovery was still "hearsay", a number of species, including killer whales, dolphins, and seals, were still undergoing recovery. The increase in marine mammals has been documented in areas where they have not been seen for decades.

csgo-xmum / website

Endangered marine animals #5