Christine Figgener

Last updated

Christine Figgener
Dr. Christine Figgener 2022.jpg
Dr. Christine Figgener with leatherback sea turtle baby in 2022.
BornOctober 30, 1983
NationalityGerman
Education
  • German Vordiplom (Bachelor of Science) in biology
  • Diplom (Master of Science) in biology
  • PhD in marine biology
Alma mater
  • University of Tübingen
  • University of Würzburg
  • Texas A&M University
OccupationMarine biologist
Known forResearch on sea turtles; environmental activism; fight against plastic pollution; sea turtle conservation
Awards
  • Next Generation Leader ( Time magazine);
  • Ocean Hero Award (Footprint);
  • Inspire to Influence Award (Texas Sea Grant);
Website www.seaturtlebiologist.com

Christine Figgener (born October 30, 1983) is a German marine conservation biologist, author, science communicator, and ocean advocate recognized for her work in sea turtle conservation, the fight against plastic pollution, and the empowerment of women in STEM. She is best known for documenting the removal of a plastic straw from a sea turtle's nose [1] in a YouTube video [2] that went viral in 2015. This video, which was featured in popular media outlets such as National Geographic , [3] HuffPost , [4] The New York Times , [5] ABC News, [6] and CNN, [7] highlighted the dangers of plastic pollution on marine wildlife and was a catalyst for the global anti-straw movement that led to several straw bans by businesses such as Starbucks, [8] Disney, [9] and Alaska Airlines. [10]

Contents

She was named a Next Generation Leader by Time magazine in 2018 [11] and has been the director of Science & Education for Footprint Foundation since 2020. [12]

Early years

Figgener grew up in the small, land-locked town of Marl in West Germany where she attended kindergarten, primary school, and high school. [13] [14] [15] [16] In the 11th grade, Figgener did a high school exchange to California where she went to Lindsay High School. [13] [14] [15]

From a young age, Figgener was interested in ocean exploration, likely due to her parents' love for the ocean and frequent vacations close to the ocean. [13] [14] [15] [16] She had the desire to leave Germany and travel the world early in her life. Childhood friends say she already talked in primary school about becoming a marine biologist. [13] [14] [15]

As a child, Figgener liked watching documentaries by Hans Hass and Jacques Yves Costeau and found a role model in Hans Hass' wife Lotte Hass, who was frequently featured in his films. [13] [14] Another big role model of hers was Jane Goodall, after she found the German translation of the book In the Shadow of Man at a public library sale. [13] [14] When Figgener was 13 she started volunteering at the dolphinarium in the Allwetter Zoo in Münster, Germany. [13] [17] [16]

Education

Figgener earned her German Vordiplom (Bachelor of Science) in biology in November 2005 from Eberhard-Karls-University, in Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. [17] In March 2010 she was awarded her German Diplom (Masters of Science) in biology from Julius-Maximilian-University, in Würzburg, Germany, majoring in behavioral physiology and animal ecology. [17] Her thesis focused on a genetic paternity assay and general population genetics of the Caribbean leatherback sea turtle population in Costa Rica. [18] In fall 2019, she earned her PhD in marine biology from Texas A&M University [19] in the southern United States. Her dissertation focused on trophic and movement ecology of sea turtles using stable isotope analysis [20] and satellite tracking to gain new insights into the behavioral ecology of olive ridley sea turtles.

Work

Figgener has been working with sea turtles [21] in Central America since 2007, focusing on applying her research findings to the conservation of these animals. [17] Her work highlights the threats to our oceans and its inhabitants due to human impact. Figgener fosters awareness of these issues by speaking out about the difference everyone can make by changing daily habits, such as limiting the use of single-use plastic products. [11]

Since 2020, Figgener has served as the director of Science & Education for Footprint Foundation, [12] the non-profit arm of Footprint. She is still actively involved in sea turtle research and conservation in Costa Rica through her Costa Rican non-profit COASTS [22] and her social enterprise Nāmaka Conservation Science.

Public moments

In 2013, Figgener's good friend and colleague Jairo "Foca" Mora Sandoval was murdered [23] while protecting leatherback turtle nests in Moín, Costa Rica. The news made it around the world and a photo she had taken of Jairo at a project in Ostional, Costa Rica was used for many of the headlines. [23] She was later quoted that this tragic event changed the trajectory of her life and increased her yearning "to have more impact and to do more". [13] [15]

In 2015, Figgener was thrust into the international spotlight when she filmed the removal of a plastic straw stuck in a sea turtle's nostril [1] [2] [24] while on a research expedition for her doctoral dissertation in Costa Rica. Her research team was capturing turtles off the Pacific coast when they found a turtle with something encrusted in its nose that turned out to be a plastic drinking straw. Visiting researcher Dr. Nathan Robinson, who studied ectobionts on sea turtles at that time, successfully removed the plastic straw and Figgener uploaded the video to YouTube. [2] The video was watched and shared millions of times on different platforms and has been officially named as a catalyst for the global anti-straw movement and a turning point for the anti-plastic movement. [25] [26] [27]

In 2016, she filmed another viral video of a sea turtle entangled in fishing gear [28] that also gained millions of views on YouTube, raising awareness about the danger of the discarded fishing gear, aka ghost nets.

Activism and science communication

Over the past years, Figgener has collaborated with several organizations to raise awareness of the dangers of marine plastic pollution, including the Plastic Pollution Coalition (The Last Plastic Straw), [29] the Lonely Whale Foundation (Strawless Ocean), [30] Sin Pajilla Porfavor, and Turtles against Plastic.

She has been an invited speaker for events held globally, including the annual Ocean Heroes Bootcamp organized by Captain Planet Foundation, the Lonely Whale Foundation, and Point Break Foundation. Figgener's work and advocacy efforts have already been featured in several documentary films, TV series, radio interviews, and podcast appearances, such as in the 2017 documentary film Straws, [31] the 2019 BBC documentary Nature's Turtle Nursery: Secrets from the Nest, [32] a 2015 National Geographic article "How Did A Sea Turtle Get a Straw Up Its Nose?", [3] the Science Vs podcast episode "Plastics: The Final Straw?", [33] and the 2020 PBS Frontline documentary "Plastic Wars". [34] Figgener dedicates part of her time to mentoring other young scientists and ocean advocates through programs such as Girl Scouts, Skype a Scientist, and Letters to a Pre-Scientist. [35]

In 2018, Figgener was named a Next Generation Leader by Time magazine [11] and a Texan of the Year finalist by The Dallas Morning News . [36] [37] In 2019, she was also awarded the Inspire to Influence Award by Texas Sea Grant and the Ocean Hero Award by Footprint. [38]

Publications

Figgener is the author of several scientific publications, conference papers, and reports. [39]

Her first popular science book about sea turtles "Meine Reise mit den Meereschildkröten" will be published in March 2023 by Malik, part of the German publishing house Piper, [40] and in 2024 by Greystone Books for the English-speaking audience.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sea turtle</span> Reptiles of the superfamily Chelonioidea

Sea turtles, sometimes called marine turtles, are reptiles of the order Testudines and of the suborder Cryptodira. The seven existing species of sea turtles are the flatback, green, hawksbill, leatherback, loggerhead, Kemp's ridley, and olive ridley. Six of the seven sea turtle species, all but the flatback, are present in U.S. waters, and are listed as endangered and/or threatened under the Endangered Species Act. All but the flatback turtle are listed as threatened with extinction globally on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The flatback turtle is found only in the waters of Australia, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leatherback sea turtle</span> Species of marine reptile in the family Chelonioidea

The leatherback sea turtle, sometimes called the lute turtle, leathery turtle or simply the luth, is the largest of all living turtles and the heaviest non-crocodilian reptile, reaching lengths of up to 2.7 metres and weights of 500 kilograms (1,100 lb). It is the only living species in the genus Dermochelys and family Dermochelyidae. It can easily be differentiated from other modern sea turtles by its lack of a bony shell; instead, its carapace is covered by oily flesh and flexible, leather-like skin, for which it is named. Leatherback turtles have a global range, although there are multiple distinct subpopulations. The species as a whole is considered vulnerable, and some of its subpopulations are critically endangered.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drinking straw</span> Thin tube for drinking liquids

A drinking straw is a utensil that is intended to carry the contents of a beverage to one's mouth. Disposable straws are commonly made from plastics. However, environmental concerns related to plastic pollution and new regulation have led to rise in reusable and biodegradable straws. Following a rise in regulation and public concern, some companies have even voluntarily banned or reduced the number of plastic straws used. Alternative straws are often made of reusable materials like silicone or metal or alternative disposable and biodegradable materials like paper, cardboard, pasta, or bamboo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marine debris</span> Human-created solid waste in the sea or ocean

Marine debris, also known as marine litter, is human-created solid material that has deliberately or accidentally been released in seas or the ocean. Floating oceanic debris tends to accumulate at the center of gyres and on coastlines, frequently washing aground, when it is known as beach litter or tidewrack. Deliberate disposal of wastes at sea is called ocean dumping. Naturally occurring debris, such as driftwood and drift seeds, are also present. With the increasing use of plastic, human influence has become an issue as many types of (petrochemical) plastics do not biodegrade quickly, as would natural or organic materials. The largest single type of plastic pollution (~10%) and majority of large plastic in the oceans is discarded and lost nets from the fishing industry. Waterborne plastic poses a serious threat to fish, seabirds, marine reptiles, and marine mammals, as well as to boats and coasts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golfo Dulce, Costa Rica</span> Gulf in Costa Rica

Golfo Dulce is a gulf in Costa Rica, located at the south of the Province of Puntarenas. The inlet starts on the Pacific Ocean side of Costa Rica and extends slightly northward before turning west. The most westward part is at the city of Rincon. The bay separates the Osa Peninsula from the mainland Costa Rica.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Las Baulas Marine National Park</span>

Las Baulas de Guanacaste Marine National Park is a National Park of Costa Rica and a Ramsar Site. The park is managed by the Tempisque Conservation Area, and covers approximately a 167.3 square kilometres (64.6 sq mi) marine area of the Tamarindo Bay, next to the town of Tamarindo. It supports the largest nesting colony of leatherback sea turtles on the Pacific coast of the Americas. Female leatherbacks often come ashore at Playa Grande between October and May to lay their eggs.

Ocean Conservancy is a nonprofit environmental advocacy group based in Washington, D.C., United States. The organization seeks to promote healthy and diverse ocean ecosystems, prevent marine pollution, climate change and advocates against practices that threaten oceanic and human life.

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A garbage patch is a gyre of marine debris particles caused by the effects of ocean currents and increasing plastic pollution by human populations. These human-caused collections of plastic and other debris are responsible for ecosystem and environmental problems that affect marine life, contaminate oceans with toxic chemicals, and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Once waterborne, marine debris becomes mobile. Flotsam can be blown by the wind, or follow the flow of ocean currents, often ending up in the middle of oceanic gyres where currents are weakest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marine plastic pollution</span> Environmental pollution by plastics

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Threats to sea turtles</span>

Threats to sea turtles are numerous and have caused many sea turtle species to be endangered. Of the seven extant species of sea turtles, six in the family Cheloniidae and one in the family Dermochelyidae, all are listed on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species. The list classifies six species of sea turtle as "threatened", two of them as "critically endangered", one as "endangered" and three as "vulnerable". The flatback sea turtle is classified as "data deficient" which means that there is insufficient information available for a proper assessment of conservation status. Although sea turtles usually lay around one hundred eggs at a time, on average only one of the eggs from the nest will survive to adulthood. While many of the things that endanger these hatchlings are natural, such as predators including sharks, raccoons, foxes, and seagulls, many new threats to the sea turtle species are anthropogenic.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nathan J. Robinson (biologist)</span> Marine biologist and environmentalist

Nathan Jack Robinson is a marine biologist and science communicator from the United Kingdom. During his career, Robinson has been at the center of several viral videos. These have included videos of him removing a plastic drinking straw from the nostril of a sea turtle as well as a plastic fork from the nostril of a different sea turtle, and a video recorded by him and Edith Widder of a live giant squid. This video is the first-time that a live giant squid has been recorded in US waters and is the second time this species has ever been caught alive on film.

Portland State University

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References

  1. 1 2 Figgener, Christine (November 6, 2018). "What I learnt pulling a straw out of a turtle's nose". Nature. 563 (7730): 157. Bibcode:2018Natur.563..157F. doi:10.1038/d41586-018-07287-z. PMID   30401858. S2CID   53234031.
  2. 1 2 3 Sea Turtle with Straw up its Nostril - "No" to Plastic Straws , retrieved October 6, 2021
  3. 1 2 "How Did Sea Turtle Get a Straw Up Its Nose?". Animals. August 17, 2015. Archived from the original on February 26, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  4. ↑ "This Heartbreaking (And Graphic) Video Will Make You Rethink That Plastic Straw". HuffPost. August 18, 2015. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  5. ↑ Krueger, Alyson (October 7, 2019). "Do You Really Need a Straw With That?". The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  6. ↑ KGO (May 2, 2017). "Viral sea turtle video fuels campaign against plastic straws". ABC7 San Francisco. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  7. ↑ Jacopo Prisco (January 15, 2018). "The last straw: Is time up for this plastic relic?". CNN. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  8. ↑ "Starbucks". stories.starbucks.com. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Disney becomes latest major company to ban plastic straws". NBC News. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  10. ↑ "Alaska Airlines goes strawless in partnership with nonprofit Lonely Whale, continues commitment to sustainability". Newsroom | Alaska Airlines. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  11. 1 2 3 "Christine Figgener is Ending the Age of Plastic Straws". Time. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  12. 1 2 "Christine Figgener". Footprint Foundation. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Blue Awareness Podcast | Helden der Meere". Blue Awareness (in German). Retrieved March 1, 2022.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Chris Figgener, PhD: Sea Turtles, Plastics, and Pivotal Moments (#55) - MarineBio.Life". June 2, 2021. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 "Ep. 61 | To Spend One Day in Her Shoes: Stories from a Marine Biologist with Christine Figgener, PhD". Rewildology. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
  16. 1 2 3 Jund, Marie (September 18, 2021). "Life of a Marine Biologist: Saving Sea Turtles and Fighting Plastic". MOOI—Inspiring women. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
  17. 1 2 3 4 "LinkedIn Profile - Christine Figgener, PhD". [self-published]
  18. ↑ Figgener, Christine; Chacón-Chaverri, Didiher; Jensen, Michael P.; Feldhaar, Heike (February 1, 2016). "Paternity re-visited in a recovering population of Caribbean leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea)". Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 475: 114–123. doi:10.1016/j.jembe.2015.11.014. ISSN   0022-0981.
  19. ↑ "Aggie Made Famous On Viral Video Graduates With Ph.D." Texas A&M Today. December 13, 2019. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  20. ↑ Figgener, Christine; Bernardo, Joseph; Plotkin, Pamela T. (2019). "Beyond trophic morphology: stable isotopes reveal ubiquitous versatility in marine turtle trophic ecology". Biological Reviews. 94 (6): 1947–1973. doi:10.1111/brv.12543. ISSN   1469-185X. PMC   6899600 . PMID   31338959.
  21. ↑ "CEIC - Centro de Investigación de Cetáceos de Costa Rica: Equipo". CEIC - Centro de Investigación de Cetáceos de Costa Rica. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  22. ↑ "Board of Directors". COASTS. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  23. 1 2 "Who Killed Costa Rica's Turtle Advocate?". Outside Online. January 31, 2015. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  24. ↑ "MTN 147: Plastic Straw Found Inside the Nostril of an Olive Ridley Sea Turtle". www.seaturtle.org. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  25. ↑ "Thesis: The Sea Turtle as a Marketing Symbol for the AntiPlastics Movement".
  26. ↑ "The Turtle That Became the Anti-Plastic Straw Poster Child". Plastic Pollution Coalition. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  27. ↑ "National Skip the Straw Day - How to Reduce Straw Use and Plastic Pollution". Adventure. February 23, 2018. Archived from the original on February 26, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  28. ↑ Sea Turtle Entangled in Ghost Net Rescued , retrieved October 6, 2021
  29. ↑ "The Last Plastic Straw". Plastic Pollution Coalition. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  30. ↑ "For A Strawless Ocean". For A Strawless Ocean. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  31. ↑ "Home". Straws - a film by linda booker. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  32. ↑ "BBC Four - Nature's Turtle Nursery: Secrets from the Nest". BBC. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  33. ↑ "Plastics: The Final Straw?". Science Vs . Gimlet. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  34. ↑ "Plastic Wars". Frontline . Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  35. ↑ "Letters to a Pre-Scientist – discover possibilities, build connections, plant seeds" . Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  36. ↑ "Texan of the Year finalist Christine Figgener: Her video of a sea turtle launched an anti-straw movement". Dallas News. December 28, 2018. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  37. ↑ "How a Texas A&M scientist's video of a sea turtle soured Americans on drinking straws". Dallas News. July 19, 2018. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  38. ↑ Footprint. "Footprint Recognizes Marine Conservation Biologist Christine Figgener With 'Footprint Ocean Hero' Award". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  39. ↑ "Christine Figgener". scholar.google.com. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  40. ↑ "Meine Reise mit den Meeresschildkröten". www.piper.de (in German). Retrieved October 22, 2022.
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