Like many other sea turtles, they are considered to be endangered or threatened in at least part of their range. The main problem is the fact that the female turtles come up on sandy beaches to lay their eggs. This makes them easy prey for people who catch and eat turtles, as well as their newly laid eggs. In most areas, sea turtles are protected now, so this is not as much of a problem as it once was. However, the sandy beaches where turtles lay their eggs are often favoured by human beings, especially by tourists.
People can unknowingly disturb sea turtle nests.
Bright lights around these areas can also disorient the newly hatched turtles, so that they have trouble making their first trip from the nest to the sea. Fishing nets can be a hazard for marine turtles too. Some fishers now use Turtle Exclusion Devices on their nets, so that the sea turtles do not get caught. Those species which live exclusively on land are usually referred to as tortoises, while aquatic species are called turtles. Freshwater turtles are sometimes called terrapins.