Well, the first thing to know is that Turtles and Tortoises are not the same thing, though this day is dedicated to celebrating and protecting both.

First created in 1990 by American Tortoise Rescue, World Turtle day recognizes that some species of our hard (and soft!) shelled friends are suffering and almost on the edge of extinction due to environmental hazards, issues with hunting and harvesting of their eggs.

We can, indeed do various things to protect these turtles.

1)Do not disturb nesting turtles, nests, or hatchlings.

2)Attend organized sea turtle watches that know how to safely observe nesting sea turtles.

3)Remove recreational beach equipment like chairs, umbrellas, boats at night so sea turtles are not turned away.

You can, also do various things to help protect them, without going to beaches-

1) Don’t buy souvenirs or other items made from critically endangered hawksbill shell. The tortoiseshell trade is the biggest threat to hawksbills.

When traveling, ask vendors what souvenirs are made of and when in doubt, don’t purchase items in question.

2)Avoid eating seafood or choose responsibly caught seafood.

Sea turtles are vulnerable to commercial fishing methods like trawling, longlines, and drift gillnets, becoming unwanted catch (also known as "bycatch") that is discarded like trash.

3)Just say NO to plastics! Sea turtles and other ocean life mistake plastic as food and ingest it.

An estimated that more than 100 million marine animals die each year as a result of eating or getting entangled in plastic. Advocate for laws reducing plastic use and for companies to reduce their plastic waste. 

Good luck in your journey of saving sea turtles!!!