Text b Why are sea turtles in big trouble these days?

Sea turtles are finding it very hard to survive these days. They are often being illegally hunted because of their meat which is regarded as delicacy in many exquisite restaurants and they are also finding it very hard to cope with the climate change and its side effects such as cyclones, rising seas and warming temperatures.

The latest study by the British scientists at the University of Exeter has found out that climate change and illegal hunting are not the two only threats which threaten sea turtles' survival. Large and even small-scale fisheries are also regarded as big threats to their survival. Why is that?

In their latest study scientists focused on small-scale fisheries in Peru, South America. By analyzing the available data scientists concluded that many sea turtles which originate from nesting beaches in Australia, Costa Rica, Mexico and the Galapagos, are likely to be captured each year as a bycatch while they reside in Peru's waters.

The role of large scale fishing in sea turtles decline has been known for quite some time but this is the first study which shows that small-scale fisheries can also have devastating effect on turtles and other marine life. The coastal area around Peru is one of the favorite destinations for five species of sea turtles, including loggerhead, green, leatherback, olive ridley and hawksbill turtles. On the other hand, Peru today has around 10,000 fishing vessels and 37,000 people working in fisheries.

Is it possible to keep both fishermen and sea turtles happy? The scientists believe that this could be achieved if fisheries were to change their fishing practices by for instance introducing circle hooks and dehookers to line fishing and using net illumination.

Sea turtles play extremely important role in marine food chain. Their favorite food includes kelp and other sea grass and this is extremely important because sea grass must be kept short to remain healthy (beds of healthy sea grass are essential breeding and development areas for many marine species).

Fisheries will have to pay more attention to these lovely creatures because their decline in population could very soon result in less caught fish.

11. Read the text and translate it. Blue whale population finally showing signs of recovery

Blue whales are the largest animals on our planet that can weigh up to 200 tons, but even these gigantic animals were walking very close towards the very edge of extinction, because of us humans, and our merciless whale hunting. For many thousands of years they were protected because humans didn't have nor the adequate weapon not the adequate vehicles to hunt them down but sadly the invention of of steam-powered whaling ships and exploding harpoons contributed to excessive whale hunting that in period of just over 50 years (from 1905-1960) killed more than 350,000 whales from around 360,000 in the beginning of the 20th century to only 5000 in 1960.

Luckily in the last fifty years whale hunting ban did the trick and blue whale population is showing signs of recovery, according to some scientists they are thriving in Antarctic by 6% a year, while in Atlantic around 3-4 % a year. Current number is still way below the number of the beginning of the 20th century but at least we can talk about steady progress, and by the current looks of it the largest animal on our planet will avoid extinction, well at least for time being.

About 200 animals have been recorded in the eastern Atlantic and 440 in the west which is something that hasn't been seen for years, and it could mean recovery in population of these giants. Of course if the hunting ban stays in place, and climate change doesn't mess entire ocean food chain.