Leatherback Turtle Fighting for Survival

Our oceans are undergoing major changes that are due to climate change, pollution and environmental shifts. Theses changes are beginning to have a huge impact on the world as we know it. Some species are now struggling for survival and their population is diminishing at a rapid rate and we could lose some of these animals if we do not act now.

The Pacific Leatherback Turtle is one of the endangered species that needs your urgent attention, its numbers are declining at a phenomenal rate. In Costa Rica, female leatherbacks come to nest on Playa Grande in Las Baulas, the national park on the coastline which is their last bolt hole, in 2001 only 67 turtles came compared to 1367 in 1988 and 115,000 in 1980.

Turtle eggs are a delicacy and an aphrodisiac, the set nets and overfishing are causing major problems and the loss of habitat from the humans living on the coastal beaches and leaving them with no where to lay their eggs is creating havoc for this animal. Larry Crowder from the Duke University Marine Laboratory said, “I never thought this ancient creature would be vulnerable to extinction. Unless something changes, the (turtles) will be extinct within 10 to 30 years.” Jim Spotila of Drexel University who is all too aware of the problems protecting a migratory creature like this turtle says, “If we want to protect the leatherbacks, we need to know where they go and why they go there. The ocean changes all the time…so it’s very difficult to protect migratory species like leatherbacks because they change their routes. The data that turtles are sending us will let predict their journeys and help us to protect them.”

Raising funds to purchase satellite tags and transmitters is an ongoing battle but many organizations have stepped up to the plate to take this challenge on. This is possible when the turtles lay their eggs and are in a trance like state. Attaching a transmitter to the turtle will allow scientists to follow their movements across 1200 miles of ocean to the Galapagos Islands where they feed. They have made game of it and you can find much more information about this by following this link at greatturtlerace.com.