Marine turtles have witnessed the rise and fall of the dinosaurs, but within the last century man's activities have threatened the survival of turtle populations throughout the world. Six of the seven species of marine turtle swimming the oceans today are considered as either endangered or critically endangered.

Marine litter and pollution claim the lives of thousands of marine turtles around the world and thousands more drown needlessly after getting entangled in fishing gear. In addition, turtles are illegally hunted for their eggs, meat and shells, while their nesting beaches and feeding grounds are threatened by uncontrolled development.

The good news is that projects such as the Turtle Conservation Project (TCP) are making a real difference, and you can help this project and others like it by adopting a turtle through MCS. Through funds raised by Adopt-a-Turtle, MCS has supported the TCP with two small grants. The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) Adopt-a-Turtle programme raises funds for marine turtle work in the UK and worldwide. By adopting a turtle you will be pledging your support for the work of the MCS and the turtle conservation projects around the world that we support. To Adopt a Turtle follow the links on the left hand side of this page. To find out more about the projects we have supported, click here.