The Race Begins
People often ask me- Why did you do a Great Turtle Race? Isn't that too commercial?
Well the answer is simple. The leatherback turtles at Playa Grande and in Las Baulas Park in Costa Rica have their backs, or I should say, carapaces up against the wall. After a generation of egg poaching and harassment we helped the Costa Ricans to establish a park and protect the turtles. However, the adults are being killed at a fantastic rate in the ocean- 22% a year- and foreign developers want to put houses and hotels right on the beach. That would destroy nesting there. So my colleague, Frank Paladino and I, and our other colleagues and students, will do everything possible to save these animals and the Park. We saw this Race as a way to get the word out to the public about the turtles, how magnificent they are, where they go in the ocean and their plight on the beach. We want to inform and energize the public around the world to protect the park and the turtles! I hope that you can help. Enjoy the race and get the word out to your friends.
Dr. Jim Spotila- Dr. Turtle
Well the answer is simple. The leatherback turtles at Playa Grande and in Las Baulas Park in Costa Rica have their backs, or I should say, carapaces up against the wall. After a generation of egg poaching and harassment we helped the Costa Ricans to establish a park and protect the turtles. However, the adults are being killed at a fantastic rate in the ocean- 22% a year- and foreign developers want to put houses and hotels right on the beach. That would destroy nesting there. So my colleague, Frank Paladino and I, and our other colleagues and students, will do everything possible to save these animals and the Park. We saw this Race as a way to get the word out to the public about the turtles, how magnificent they are, where they go in the ocean and their plight on the beach. We want to inform and energize the public around the world to protect the park and the turtles! I hope that you can help. Enjoy the race and get the word out to your friends.
Dr. Jim Spotila- Dr. Turtle
7 Comments:
I was wondering how often do they sleep on their journey to the Galapagos and where do they do it?
How do the turtles know where to go, I mean is it just instinct?
How do the turtles protect themselves on their journey?
This post has been removed by the author.
This post has been removed by the author.
When the "race" starts do they alwasy have 11 turtles?
Why don't male leatherback turtles participate in The Great Turtle Race?
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