What are our Successes?: The Sea Turtle Project

The Sea Turtle Project:

     

        Sea turtles have been on earth for many, many years. They come in various colours, such as black, green, or yellow.  There are several different types, including the leatherback, hawksbill, loggerhead, and green turtles. Their numbers have been decreasing to the point where their very survival is in danger.

       

        One of the reasons of their decline is that many people living along the coast of the Caribbean use the turtles for food.  Another reason is the development of the beaches for tourism, such as the building of hotels in the places where the turtles would normally nest.  This has resulted in the loss of many baby turtles which are needed to keep the population going.

 

        So what are we doing to help save sea turtles? There is an organization called Neighbors Ensuring Sea Turtle Survival also known as NESTS. Fifteen organizations have formed a partnership to coordinate the effort to save these incredible animals. Some of these are the Caribbean Conservation Corporation, the Ocean Conservancy, and the for-profit Walt Disney World. The program is in part funded by the Florida Sea Turtle License Plate program. Volunteers who can and will help are asked to save these turtles one nest at a time. They actually go out and baby-sit the nests as the baby turtles hatch. They are certified at various levels. Volunteers can be partner, guardian or champion participants, depending on how much time they have put in.

 

        Not only do we have programs like NESTS, but we also have the help of individuals such as Laura Jaen. She comes from Costa Rica and has educated many women, mostly tour guides, on how to educate others about saving the sea turtles. Even though the numbers of sea turtles have declined alarmingly over the years, with the dedication of women like Laura Jaen and organizations like NESTS, an increase in the number of sea turtles is possible. It is a simple matter of caring and then getting out there and helping.

 

 

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Sources:

 

Gingrich, Newt. A Contract with the Earth.  Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press.  2007.  Accessed 27 January 2008.

 

“Nests—A Sea Turtle Friendly Certification Program”. NESTS Program . Accessed 30 January 2008. <http://www.nests-certified.org/acnwr/partner.htm>

 

 “Nicaragua: Sea Turtle Conservation Program”. Saving Wildlife. Accessed 27 January 2008. <http://www.wcs.org/international/marine/marinelacaribbean/nicaraguaseaturtle>

 

 “Sea Turtles”. Defenders of Wildlife. Accessed 27 January 2008. <http://www.defenders.org/wildlife_and_habitat/wildlife/sea_turtles.php>

“Welcome to Nests”. NESTS Program. Accessed 30 January 2008. <http://www.nests-certified.org/>

 

Photograph:

Scatrut. “Tartaruga 1° d”.  Everystockphoto.com.  Accessed 29 January 2008. <http://www.everystockphoto.com/photo.php?imageId=242498>
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