The global DNA database fuelling Malaysia’s green turtle comeback

In an era of global declines in wildlife populations, Malaysia’s green turtles are a rare conservation success story. The number of nests seen in the state of Sabah has tripled over five decades, leading to a reduction in their status from “endangered” to “least concern” in 2025. To protect this milestone and continuing threats from cross-border wildlife trafficking, marine biologists have deployed ShellBank, a groundbreaking global DNA database, to track threats.