Loggerheads Hatching in Queensland

At Mon Repos Conservation Park in in Queensland, last year's hatchlings were badly beat down by Cyclone Oswald, but this year they are facing only the usual mountain of risks.  The thousands of loggerhead eggs laid on the beach have begun to hatch.  Let's hope that more than the usual .001% survive to help make up for last year's losses.

Etsy Item of the Week - Sea Turtle Mosaic

Mosaic by Kat Moore of Flying Kumquat Studio on Etsy

This week I have chosen to feature a mosaic called "Sea Turtle Dreams" which is currently for sale on Etsy.  I love the use of bright reds and oranges in one of the turtle's shells (not all sea turtles are the same color) and how the shells look like they are going to topple right out of the frame.  Such a lovely piece.  I hope it finds a good home soon.

SeaWorld's 1000th Rehabilitated Sea Turtle

SeaWorld Orlando's marine animal rescue facility reached an exciting milestone this week.  They released their 1000th rehabilitated sea turtle back into the wild!  Way to go turtle savers!!  This loggerhead looks pretty excited to go ride the current once again...

Sea Turtle Photo Mystery Solved

Once upon a time, a very cute sea turtle photo graced my desktop.  I kept it up for about a year because the look on the turtle's face was priceless.  It had come to me through some random forwarded email, so I assumed it was photo shopped or something.  Today the mystery has been solved.  According to this article, it is a picture of a baby loggerhead being released into the ocean for the very first time!  No wonder the little dude looked so happy!!!

The He Said She Said of Turtle Names

I am very familiar with the predicament presented in this story about a rescued Loggerhead turtle.  When I first got Pokey, she was still too young for veterinarians to discern her sex.  I waited several years and then carried her to a reptile show at the mall for assessment.  It was there that I learned my little turtle was a lady.  I wished I could have carried her there in a blinged out small dog purse to help her flaunt her identity.  Maybe I still should get her one, for fancy transportation to and from her vet check ups.  After all, we do live in Santa Barbara.  Pets here usually travel in style.

© Rachel Hoyt 2011

Tell National Marine Fisheries Service that you DO NOT support backpeddaling!

NMFS's new plan for Hawaii-based shallow-set longline fishery would nearly triple the number of loggerhead sea turtles caught each year. We must act now to prevent their plan from taking effect. They are accepting comments online and by mail through Monday, May 18, 2009.

Please hurry to their website before they reverse the progress that has been made in recent years towards saving the sea turtle population.

http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=SubmitComment&o=090000648091b5c0

A full description of the proposed fishery management plan amendment is available online as well.