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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 sea turtles. All of the seven species listed above, except for the flatback, are present in US waters, and are listed as endangered and/or threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The flatback itself exists in the waters of Australia, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. Sea turtles can be categorized as hard-shelled (cheloniid) or leathery-shelled (dermochelyid). The only dermochelyid species of sea turtle is the leatherback.
Habitat conservation is a management practice that seeks to conserve, protect and restore habitats and prevent species extinction, fragmentation or reduction in range. It is a priority of many groups that cannot be easily characterized in terms of any one ideology.
The leatherback sea turtle, sometimes called the lute turtle or leathery turtle or simply the luth, is the largest of all living turtles and the heaviest non-crocodilian reptile, reaching lengths of up to 1.8 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.
The Charles Darwin Foundation was founded in 1959, under the auspices of UNESCO and the World Conservation Union. The Charles Darwin Research Station serves as headquarters for The Foundation, and is used to conduct scientific research and promote environmental education.
Wildlife conservation refers to the practice of protecting wild species and their habitats in order to maintain healthy wildlife species or populations and to restore, protect or enhance natural ecosystems. Major threats to wildlife include habitat destruction, degradation, fragmentation, overexploitation, poaching, pollution, climate change, and the illegal wildlife trade. The IUCN estimates that 42,100 species of the ones assessed are at risk for extinction. Expanding to all existing species, a 2019 UN report on biodiversity put this estimate even higher at a million species. It is also being acknowledged that an increasing number of ecosystems on Earth containing endangered species are disappearing. To address these issues, there have been both national and international governmental efforts to preserve Earth's wildlife. Prominent conservation agreements include the 1973 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). There are also numerous nongovernmental organizations (NGO's) dedicated to conservation such as the Nature Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund, the Wild Animal Health Fund and Conservation International.
The green sea turtle, also known as the green turtle, black (sea) turtle or Pacific green turtle, is a species of large sea turtle of the family Cheloniidae. It is the only species in the genus Chelonia. Its range extends throughout tropical and subtropical seas around the world, with two distinct populations in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, but it is also found in the Indian Ocean. The common name refers to the usually green fat found beneath its carapace, not to the color of its carapace, which is olive to black.
The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System (MBRS), also popularly known as the Great Mayan Reef or Great Maya Reef, is a marine region that stretches over 1,126 kilometres (700 mi) along the coasts of four countries – Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras – from Isla Contoy at the northern tip of the Yucatán Peninsula south to Belize, Guatemala and the Bay Islands of Honduras. The reef system includes various protected areas and parks including the Belize Barrier Reef, Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park, Hol Chan Marine Reserve (Belize), Sian Ka'an biosphere reserve, and the Cayos Cochinos Marine Park. Belize's coastline, including the Belize Barrier Reef, is home to approximately 30% of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System.
Sierra Negra is a large shield volcano at the southeastern end of Isabela Island in the Galapagos that rises to an altitude of 1124m. It coalesces with the volcanoes Cerro Azul to the west and Alcedo to the north. It is one of the most active of the Galapagos volcanoes with the most recent historic eruption beginning in June 2018 and continuing through the summer.
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.
Guanacaste Conservation Area is an administrative area which is managed by the Sistema Nacional de Areas de Conservacion (SINAC) of Costa Rica for conservation in the northwestern part of Costa Rica. It contains three national parks, as well as wildlife refuges and other nature reserves. The area contains the Area de Conservación Guanacaste World Heritage Site, which comprises four areas.
Playa Grande, also known as Salinas, is a beach community on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica just north of Tamarindo. It is located inside the canton of Santa Cruz in Guanacaste Province. Playa Grande has been part of the Parque Nacional Marino Las Baulas since 1990. There are palm trees and lush vegetation all around the beach, which has soft golden sand and stretches for about 4.5 kilometers. It is part of the Las Baulas National Marine Park, which was established to protect the nesting grounds of endangered leatherback turtles. Playa Grande is one of the major nesting sites for these magnificent creatures, and visitors can witness the nesting and hatching process during the nesting season, which typically occurs from October to March. The main attraction of Playa Grande is its excellent surf breaks. The beach is renowned for its consistent waves, making it a favorite spot for surfers of all levels, from beginners to experienced riders. Surfing lessons and board rentals are available for those looking to learn or improve their skills. Playa Grande is an ideal destination for nature lovers, as diverse ecosystems surround it. Beyond the beach, you can explore the nearby mangrove forests, take boat tours along the estuaries, or venture into the neighboring national parks, such as Rincon de la Vieja or Santa Rosa, which offer hiking trails, wildlife spotting opportunities, and breathtaking landscapes.
The School for Field Studies (SFS) is the United States' largest environmental study abroad program provider for undergraduate college students, offering fully accredited semester- and summer-long academic programs in over 10 countries around the world. SFS students and staff conduct field research, driven by strategic research plans, to address environmental issues which affect both the communities in which the organization operates and the world in general. More than 18,000 students have studied abroad with SFS since it was founded in 1980. SFS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, currently based out of Beverly, Massachusetts.
Earthwatch Institute is an international environmental charity. It was founded in 1971 as Educational Expeditions International by Bob Citron and Clarence Truesdale. Earthwatch Institute supports Ph.D. researchers internationally and conducts over 100,000 hours of research annually. Using the Citizen Science methodology, Earthwatch's mission statement is "to engage people worldwide in scientific field research and education to promote the understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment." As such, it is one of the global underwriters of scientific field research in archaeology, paleontology, marine life, biodiversity, ecosystems and wildlife. For over forty years, Earthwatch has raised funds to recruit individuals, students, teachers, and corporate fellows to participate in critical field research to understand nature's response to accelerating global change.
David Cameron Duffy is an American professor of botany and zoology at the University of Hawaiʻi, former Director of the Hawaiian Pacific Island Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit. and currently holds the Gerritt Parmele Wilder Chair in the School of Life Sciences at the University of Hawaiʻi Manoa.
The Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC), formerly known as Caribbean Conservation Corporation, is an American not-for-profit 501(c)(3) membership organization based in Gainesville, Florida. STC was incorporated, based on an earlier informal organization known as The Brotherhood of the Green Turtle, in 1959 by Joshua B. Powers in response to renowned ecologist Dr. Archie Carr's award-winning book, The Windward Road, which first alerted the world to the plight of sea turtles. Carr served as Scientific Director of STC from 1959 until his death in 1987. Since its founding, STC's research and conservation initiatives have been instrumental in saving the Caribbean green sea turtle from immediate extinction, as well as raising awareness and protection for sea turtles across the globe with 50 years of experience in national and international sea turtle conservation, research and educational endeavors. The organization began its work in Costa Rica, but has expanded its research and conservation efforts throughout Central America and the wider Caribbean.
The Canadian Organization for Tropical Education and Rainforest Conservation (COTERC) is a registered not-for-profit Canadian-based charity. COTERC was founded in 1991 by Marilyn Cole and Ozzie Teichner, and is based in Pickering, Ontario, Canada. COTERC maintains a close reciprocal relationship in Costa Rica with Caño Palma Biological Station.
Tortuguero National Park is a national park in the Limón Province of Costa Rica. It is situated within the Tortuguero Conservation Area of the northeastern part of the country. Despite its remote location, reachable only by airplane or boat, it is the third-most visited park in Costa Rica. The park has a large variety of biological diversity due to the existence within the reserve of eleven different habitats, including rainforest, mangrove forests, swamps, beaches, and lagoons. Located in a tropical climate, it is very humid, and receives up to 250 inches (6,400 mm) of rain a year.
The Turtle Conservancy (TC) is a 501(c)3 organization with a focus on protecting threatened turtles and tortoises and their habitats worldwide working toward improving turtle and tortoise populations in the wild. The TC is a conservation organization protecting tortoises and freshwater turtles with work in five areas: species conservation, protection of wild lands, research science, global awareness and education, and illegal trade prevention.
The Leatherback Trust is a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation and study of sea turtles and freshwater turtles, with special regard for the leatherback sea turtle. The Leatherback Trust was founded in 2000 to help consolidate Las Baulas National Marine Park, one of the last major nesting site for the critically endangered leatherback turtle in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. The park protects Playa Grande, Playa Ventanas, Playa Langosta, the ocean out to 12 nautical miles, wetlands, highlands, and the coast inland to 125 m from the high tide line.
Island Conservation is a non-profit organization with the mission to prevent extinctions by removing invasive species from islands. Island Conservation has therefore focused its efforts on islands with species categorized as Critically Endangered and Endangered on the IUCN's Red List. Working in partnership with local communities, government management agencies, and conservation organizations, Island Conservation develops plans and implements the removal of invasive alien species, and conducts field research to document the benefits of the work and to inform future projects.
References
- ↑ The Missoulian 6/28/2010 http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/article_878126fc-80c7-11df-b5c8-001cc4c03286.html
- ↑ BBC Wildlife Fund http://www.bbc.co.uk/wild/how-youve-helped/south-america/giant-tortoise/
- ↑ FRENCH, BRETT. "On visit to Yellowstone, Montana teens find wildlife is 'pretty cool'". The Billings Gazette. Retrieved 2017-06-29.
- ↑ About.com Cause of the Week - 3/25/2010 - http://nonprofit.about.com/b/2010/03/25/cause-of-the-week-ecology-project-international.htm
- ↑ "Ecology Project International – About Us" . Retrieved 2016-03-24.
- ↑ french@billingsgazette.com, Story and Photos By BRETT FRENCH. "Kids can make a difference in 'mind-boggling places' – from Yellowstone to Costa Rica". Helena Independent Record. Retrieved 2017-06-29.
- ↑ "CICIMAR". cicimar.ipn.mx. Retrieved 2016-03-24.
- ↑ "US Forest Service - Caring for the land and serving people". fs.fed.us. Retrieved 2014-04-24.
- ↑ "Yellowstone". missoulian.com. Retrieved 2016-03-24.
- ↑ "Outside Magazine Best Places to Work". Outside Magazine. 2015. Retrieved 2016-03-24.
- ↑ "Ocean Mysteries: Leatherback Turtles in Costa Rica". Hulu. Retrieved 2016-05-17.
- ↑ "Eco-Index: What's New". eco-index.org. Retrieved 2016-05-17.