NATIVEUK.COM LESSONS
World Sea Turtle Day
An annual international observance held on 16 June, dedicated to raising awareness about the critical need to protect sea turtles and their fragile habitats. This date, chosen to honour the birthday of Dr. Archie Carr—a pioneer in sea turtle conservation—serves as a global call to action for addressing threats such as plastic pollution, habitat loss, and illegal wildlife trade. Beyond highlighting these challenges, the day celebrates the ecological importance of these ancient creatures in maintaining healthy marine ecosystems and encourages collective efforts to ensure their survival for future generations.
Speaking Discussion
- Should single-Use plastic be illegal globally, even if it makes life harder for the poor?
- Is ocean conservation a lost cause while China and India continue to industrialise?
- Why do we care more about sea turtles than we do about deep sea fish or insects?
- Is ecotourism (swimming with turtles) helping them or just stressing them out for profit?
- If you were a turtle for a day, what would be the most alien thing about the human world?
Activity 1: The Island Governor
The Task: You are the governor of a tropical island. 50% of your money comes from plastic toys factories, and 50% comes from turtle tourism. The turtles are dying because of the plastic factories. You have 3 minutes to negotiate a 10-year transition plan. Pitch it to the factory workers.
Activity 2: Rapid Fire Debate
Justify in 30 seconds: 1. 'Human convenience is more important than animal survival.' 2. 'We should prioritise 'Technology' (cleaning the ocean) over 'Restriction' (banning plastic).' 3. 'If a species can't survive in the modern world, it deserves to go extinct.'