Ready, Set, Swim!

Sea turtles race for a cause

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Belle, a loggerhead turtle from Melbourne Beach, Florida, starts the Tour de Turtles race just off the east coast of central Florida, August 1, 2008. (Photo: courtesy Caribbean Conservation Corporation, www.cccturtle.org)

While you were busy swimming in the pool, lake, or ocean of your choice this past August, a few sea turtles began a swimming contest of their own. The reptiles launched themselves into the ocean waters for the "Tour De Turtles, A Sea Turtle Marathon Migration," on August 1.

Sponsored by the Caribbean Conservation Corporation (CCC), the three-month swimming race will cover about 1,628 miles of ocean. The CCC is tracking the migration of eight sea turtles, representing four different species, from the beaches where they currently nest, or lay their eggs, to the lands where they forage (search) for food.

"The purpose of Tour de Turtles is to raise awareness about the threats to sea turtles," Daniel Evans of the CCC told Scholastic News. The CCC hopes the data it collects from tracking the migration will help scientists determine how to save the species from the natural and human-made dangers the turtles face. The first turtle to complete the 1,628 miles will be declared the winner.

The group is also making the migration an online event that students and teachers can take part in through an interactive Web site, www.tourdeturtles.org. "[We are] presenting real-time research in an online educational format that is fun and interesting," Evans said.

How to Track a Turtle

The turtle marathoners are named Maritime, Belle o' Brevard, Roxana, Lumiere, Hibiscus, Millana, Little Crush, and Sunshine. These turtles will be monitored using Platform Terminal Transmitters (PTT), which send signals via satellite to record their locations and the distances they travel. The data are then uploaded to interactive maps on the Tour de Turtles Web site. Each participating sea turtle will have a spot on the "leader board," which provides an overview of all the turtles' progress.

Belle, a loggerhead from Melbourne Beach, Florida, makes her way to the water, off the east coast of central Florida, August 1, 2008. (Photo courtesy Caribbean Conservation Corporation)

"The transmitters are attached in two ways, depending on the species of turtle," Evans explained. "For the hard-shell turtles, the transmitter is attached with layers of fiberglass cloth and resin (a sticky substance that acts like glue). For the leatherback turtles—which do not have hard shells—we used a harness design that fits like a backpack."

The turtles will not have to wear these transmitters for the rest of their lives. The devices are designed to fall off within two years.

Swimming for a Cause

Each turtle is swimming to raise awareness about a specific threat to sea turtles.

Currently, six of seven sea turtles species are considered endangered or critically endangered worldwide. As few as one in 1,000 turtle hatchlings survives into adulthood. The natural obstacles that young and adult sea turtles face are tough, but CCC believes the threats caused by humans are a greater danger to the turtles' survival.

"Of the turtle species in the race, the most endangered is the hawksbill sea turtle, followed closely by the leatherback," Evans told Scholastic News. "The hawksbill is endangered due to being killed for its shell, [which is used] to make jewelry, combs and other items. The leatherback is endangered as a result of accidental capture in fisheries, especially long-line fishing."

Log on to www.tourdeturtles.org to receive weekly updates on the turtles' progress. You can even "adopt a swimmer" of your own!

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK

Read today’s story and answer the following question.

What are your ideas to help preserve endangered animals? Can you think of ways to get your community involved in helping endangered animals survive? Tell us what you think on the Scholastic News Online Blog!

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Gail Hennessey recently retired from teaching 6th grade social studies in Harpursville, New York. For more information and activity ideas, visit her Web site at http://www.gailhennessey.com/

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