For example, some people are still interested in eating turtle meat and eggs. Illegal poaching is obviously a big impediment to recovery. But even well-meaning actions can be harmful. Turtle hatchlings are awfully cute, and they might be very tempting to people who want to handle them or pick them up as they scurry across the beach. This period, however, when hatchlings dig themselves out of the sand and scamper across the beach into the surf is critical.
Hatchlings use up a lot of energy in their frenzy to get to the ocean.
Interference during this critical trip can sap the hatchlings' energy, leaving them less stamina to swim through the breakers to open water once they reach the sea. So you can see how important it is to protect nesting beaches for the adult turtles, for the nests, and for the hatchlings. Of course, hatching and dispersing to the sea are just the first of many obstacles facing young sea turtles. Sea turtles face a whole new set of problems once they reach the water. So turtles aren't home free once they make it to the ocean.