In a major victory for marine conservation, the Green Sea Turtle has been reclassified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as a species of Least Concern, having previously been listed as Endangered.

The decision, announced at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi in October 2025, reflects a global population increase of around 28 % since the 1970s, despite ongoing threats such as by-catch in fishing gear, coastal habitat loss, illegal harvests, and climate change impacts.

Key drivers of this recovery include:

Protection of nesting beaches and eggs from human exploitation.
Use of Turtle Excluder Devices and other by-catch mitigation in fisheries.
International and local community efforts to curb illegal trade and harvest of turtle products.

However, conservationists emphasise this remains a milestone not the finish line. Some regional populations of green turtles still face acute risks, and the species as a whole remains well below pre-industrial abundance. Continued protection of habitat and mitigation of threats remain essential.