Save Turtles Sand Sculpture

If you're an artist capable of making beautiful sand sculptures who comes across a dead sea turtle while walking down the beach, what can you do to counteract the sorrow it might procure?  Create a hauntingly beautiful image with a proactive message of course!  At least, that is what Indian sand artist Sudarshan Pattnaik did... 

Freezing in Florida

Everyone knows that the polar vortex had dumped an unusual abundance of winter upon parts of North America.  What many don't know is that the sea turtle population is also suffering due to the harsh season.  Green sea turtles living in the Florida panhandle seem to have been hit the hardest as they are unable to self-regulate their body temperature as effectively as other ocean dwelling mammals.  Dozens of in-shock and deceased turtles were found on the beach after the most recent storm.  If you are in Florida and stumble upon a suffering sea turtle, please call the FWC Wildlife Alert hotline at 888-404-3922 to give them their best chance at survival.

Conservation and Farming Don't Mix

It has been revealed that there is "much room for improvement" in the way the turtles are cared for at the Cayman Island turtle farm. All I can think is, who believed a farm could sell turtle meat for food AND save the species at the same time? Not me. 

Inside the Cayman Islands' sea turtle tourist trap

Gaining Ground on the Coast of Gabon

I read some positive news today about leatherback sea turtles! It turns out there may be twice as many female leatherbacks in the world as originally estimated.  Canada News, Commentary, Analysis, Blogs | The Mark

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FRIDAY MOMENT - Baby-Turtle-of-Pearl Necklace

THIS MOMENT – A Friday ritual

Photos – no words – capturing moments from the week.

Simple, special, extraordinary moments.

Moments you want to pause, savour and remember.

“This Moment” was introduced to me by

Sarah-Jane of Samuel Michael's Photography

and Alejandro of Raising Amelie

YTT - Snacking and Swimming

Happiest Turtle Ever from Henrik Edelbring on Vimeo.

Josh from "Its Tiger Time" invented You Tube Tuesday so we could each share one video a week which we found to be fun, inspiring or otherwise noteworthy. If you choose to participate, don't forget to leave your links in my comments section (so I can come visit you) and on Josh's page (so you can be part of the contest). I hope you enjoyed this week's selection!

You Tube Tuesday - Turtle Talk with Crush

 

Josh from "Its Tiger Time" invented You Tube Tuesday so we could each share one video a week which we found to be fun, inspiring or otherwise noteworthy. If you choose to participate, don't forget to leave your links in my comments section (so I can come visit you) and on Josh's page (so you can be part of the contest). I hope you enjoyed this week's selection!  It is pretty amazing how smart they can make an interactive image. Do you think they could make Counselor Crush, a smart phone app to get me talking about and help me solve my day to day problems? LOL. 

You Tube Tursday - Turtle Doodles

I don't know about you, but sometimes I like to doodle!

Josh from "Its Tiger Time" invented You Tube Tuesday so we could each share one video a week which we found to be fun, inspiring or otherwise noteworthy.  If you choose to participate, don't forget to leave your links in my comments section (so I can come visit you) and on Josh's page (so you can be part of the contest).  I hope you like this week's selection! (I'm posting my video early... it's Tuesday somewhere!)

You Tube Tuesday - High Five

Josh from "Its Tiger Time" invented You Tube Tuesday so we could each share one video a week which we found to be fun, inspiring or otherwise noteworthy.  If you choose to participate, don't forget to leave your links in my comments section (so I can come visit you) and on Josh's page (so you can be part of the contest).  I hope you like this week's selection! If I could have picked one human behavior to teach turtles, this would be it! 

Floatilla Protest

There will be a Flotilla to protest harbour dredging in Gladstone tomorrow. The dredging is stirring up bad, old, buried stuff and wreaking havoc in the day.

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Surfer Jamie O'Brien's Wild Ride

I feel a bit bad for pro surfer Jamie O'Brien right now. There is a picture circulating the internet that shows him riding a sea turtle. You might be wondering why people would care? Well, it is against the law. We don't want endangered species getting overly comfortable interacting with humans. I guess that is because, inevitably, someone would harm the animal. However, given the opportunity, I'm not sure I would be able to resist reaching out to touch a creature as magical as the green sea turtle. Scientists get to do it all the time.

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Study of Sea Turtle Danger Zones

If you want to know where sea turtles are most threatened, check out this article. Apparently, the "big winner" is India. I have always wanted to go there. Perhaps that will be the vacation where I also try to help the sea turtles? It's still a dream vacation at this point, so why not say I'm going to do it all?! Of course, there are places a bit closer to home where I could help too....

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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.

Turtle Reef at Sea World® San Diego

As of this summer, Pokey and I live about 215 miles away from the largest sea turtle display in the world.  That is when they opened the Turtle Reef exhibit at Sea World® in San Diego.  In August, I paid my beloved sea turtle friends a visit.

The nearly 300,000 gallon tank is breathtaking.  Wall-to-wall coral reefs are home to nearly 60 hawksbill and green sea turtles and a vibrant display of tropical fish.  I stood there staring with the childlike wonder of a four year old for nearly five minutes before snapping a hundred pictures with my camera.

It was apparent that the turtles don't always like their tank mates...

or perhaps they just get bored and like to put on a show.  (No sea turtles were injured during this fin and neck nibbling moment, however, many bystanders were overcome with giggles watching them play.)

The tank at Sea World® is also home to quite a few baby sea turtles which hatched there in 2009.  Although some may feel more than a sigh over the fact that their fins have never truly felt the currents of the big blue, I think they are quite happy in this serene environment, carefully protected from the harsh realities of everyday ocean life.  Sea World® shows it's dedication to sea turtles in the wild through it's non-profit foundation, the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund, which donates millions of dollars to animal conservation projects every year.  It made me smile to know my ticket proceeds would spoil not only these turtles, but also other needy populations all over the world... and many other animals at the park and elsewhere.

THIS MOMENT - Turtle Reef

THIS MOMENT – A Friday ritual.

Photos – no words – capturing moments from the week.

Simple, special, extraordinary moments.

Moments you want to pause, savour and remember.

“This Moment” was introduced to me by Sarah-Jane of Almost There and Alejandro of Raising Amelie

Image © Rachel Hoyt.  All rights reserved.

A Turtle Dance for You Tube Tuesday

  

 Happy You Tube Tuesday everyone! 

  Please leave Pokey and I your links so we know where to see your videos.

Sea Turtle Inc. is Expanding

Image by think4photop via freedigitalphotos.net

Is it just me or do you feel like you never hear about certain causes until they are expanding?  I had never heard of Sea Turtle Inc. before today, but they just bought another acre of land where they plan to build two to three thousand more viewing tanks, an amphitheatre and more.  They rescue, care for and return sea turtles to the wild in addition to offering a permanent residence to those that cannot be rehabilitated.  A capitol campaign to finance the expansion will begin September 3rd.  Please click here to learn how you can contribute to this amazing operation.

Happy World Oceans Day!

Happy World Oceans Day!  I don't really have time to write a post today and Pokey hasn't figured out how to navigate the keyboard yet, so...  visit the Sea Turtle Restoration Project's site to find out how people are celebrating this year.

Thriving Despite Amputation

Noel the turtle has proven that amputees can survive in wild! This research could save many injured turtles from being euthanized in the future. Who knew a turtle could swim hundreds if miles on three fins?! I'm glad someone finally tried to find out. Thank you Australian Wildlife Hospital for having faith in Noel the sea turtle and saving her life!

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The World's Sea Turtles on a Map

I've been looking for a map of all the turtle nesting locations in the world, because I thought a link to that would be a nice, fun, easy post for the turtle nesting season.  It turns out, such things are not so easy to find.  However, this map entitled The State of the World's Sea Turtles is pretty darn close and will likely continue to develop into an even more comprehensive source.  I wish they showed both the common and scientific names for each species, but either way it has an amazing amount of data on the number of female turtles at each site and how many laid eggs (clutches) there.  Pokey and I highly recommend you head over and check it out.