Switzerland, Aug. 17 -- Scientists have developed a test to extract DNA from hawksbill turtle products, including tortoiseshell jewelry. The novel method could be a major tool to track small and large-scale operations still targeting hawksbills for the illegal trade.
It's a breakthrough that could help save the species, hunted for their beautiful shells, and now listed as critically endangered on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
A study this year found humans harvested 9 million hawksbill turtles over the past 150 years, more than six times previous estimates. A 2008 IUCN assessment estimated there may be only 6,760 breeding females left in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. This number is likely to now...