Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6342
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
Member Is Offline
Mood: TEQUILA!
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TURTLES!
I found this in one of my parrot owner's forums I belong to, and should be of particular interst to quite a few Nomads, especially to elinvesti8.
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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is awarding more than $337,681 in
international conservation grants under the Marine Turtle Conservation Fund
to aid recovery of endangered sea turtles in six countries and provide
training for natural resource managers in Latin America and the Caribbean.
"The U.S. is committed to doing its part to ensure that sea turtles are
part of the Earth's diverse biological landscape for generations to come,"
said Service Director H. Dale Hall. "In addition, the Wildlife Without
Borders Program in Latin America and the Caribbean provides critical
capacity building for natural resource managers working in one of the most
biologically rich regions of the world," Hall said.
The grants are awarded through the Service's Wildlife Without
Borders-Species and Regional Programs, using funds designated by the U.S.
Congress for international conservation. The programs were created to
provide assistance for the conservation of species and habitats imperiled by
a variety of threats including poaching, illegal species trafficking,
habitat loss, and disease.
The grants leveraged more than half a million dollars in matching funds that
will go directly to helping wildlife. For every $1 in grants funding
awarded by Service, an additional $1.62 was provided by an array of partners
- including U.S., international, and in-country not-for-profit organizations
partners, for a total of $549,002 in matching funds.
"These grants provide critical support for efforts targeting highly
imperiled species and habitats,"said Director H. Dale Hall. "They focus on
how to best conserve and manage biodiversity in collaboration with local
communities, partner organizations, universities, and government agencies."
Eleven projects will be funded in seven countries: Mexico, Sierra Leone,
India, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Costa Rica and Paraguay. Examples of
projects funded include: protecting leatherback sea turtles at one of the
few remaining nesting beaches in the East Pacific in Costa Rica; providing a
62-day course in natural resources conservation for 16 professionals
currently working in protected areas in Latin America, and developing a
conservation network for sea turtles in India and Gabon.
For more information about the Service's international grants programs,
visit http://www.fws.gov/international/dicprograms/wwbp.htm.
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to
conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for
the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and
trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific
excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated
professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our
work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov.
-FWS-
For more information about the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,visit our
home page at http://www.fws.gov
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Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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ELINVESTIG8R
Select Nomad
Posts: 15882
Registered: 11-20-2007
Location: Southern California
Member Is Offline
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Keep The Sea Turtles Safe!
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Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6342
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
Member Is Offline
Mood: TEQUILA!
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Thank you elinvesti8! your image graphics touch my heart! 
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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acadist
Super Nomad
Posts: 1125
Registered: 3-31-2007
Location: Spanaway,WA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Waiting for the Sun
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Turtle
Afew months ago in La Paz the panga made a sharp turn and headed for some sargasso. I figured that he saw some big dorado but this guy was sunning
himself. Pulled aboard for a photo op before sending him on his way.
Dave
I moved to CO and they made me buy a little rod to make it feel like a real fish
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Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6342
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
Member Is Offline
Mood: TEQUILA!
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Just saw this story published in ecobaja post:
By Jane Howard Lee
Contributor
October 17, 2008
Every year during coastal Mexico's rainy season, thousands of baby turtles
emerge from
eggs on the Mexican shores and make their way towards the ocean.
This year they had a bit of help from a Baytown couple who not only help
underwrite a
program that helps protect the eggs and hatchlings, but also were there to move
the
freshly-hatched turtles to a sandy beach near Ixtapa. From there, the turtles
will
disappear into the sea.
"It was phenomenal," said Jay Eshbach who, along with wife Kay, helped release
more than
3,000 tiny turtles during a two-day period earlier this month.
Those 3,000 are among some twenty to thirty thousand turtles released after
being
hatched on private property belonging to a Mexican family. Eshbach said several
families
with waterfront property in the area participate in efforts to help ensure
survival of three
species of turtles that come there to lay their eggs. Some local hotels also
participate, he
said.
"Altogether they are expecting to release more than 100,000 just in that area
this year, "he
added.
The life of a sea turtle is a hazardous one but most dangerous of all for the
tiny hatchlings,
who must survive natural predators just to get to the water after hatching.
Those that make it disappear into the sea. The males never come back to land but
after
eight to 10 years, females who are then at breeding age will come back to their
own hatch
site to lay eggs.
They come ashore at night and lay their eggs in a hole that they have dug. The
mother
turtles cover s the eggs with sand to protect them from predators. The eggs will
hatch
within 40 to 51 days and the nests of babies will head for the sea.
Few make it on their own but when humans intervene the numbers go way up.
The program that the Eshbachs participate in sends workers to search for eggs.
When a
nest is located, the eggs are dug up, and then reburied in round plastic
enclosures that
have no bottoms. The containers are covered with cheesecloth for additional
protection.
When the eggs hatch the tiny turtles are placed in larger, water-filled
containers and fed
for a week to 10 days, giving them extra strength for the ordeal soon to come.
When the moment comes that the turtles are deemed ready to face life on their
own, they
are taken from their containers and transferred to the beach.
"They are released right at sunset when fewer birds are flying," Eshbach
explained.
Though the Eshbachs reveled in the experience, they can't recommend it as a pre-
planned vacation.
"You can't be sure way in advance exactly when the eggs will be found, will
hatch or when
they will be released," Eshbach said. "We just got lucky."
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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tehag
Super Nomad
Posts: 1248
Registered: 1-8-2005
Member Is Offline
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Turtles
And then there's this:
http://www.bajatrekker.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=729
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