World Turtle News, 10/14/2018

Experiencing The Dedication And Hard Work Of Sea Turtle Conservation Efforts

When Bret Stearns, the director of the natural resources department for the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head in Aquinnah received a cell phone call last week, he wasted no time to spring into action. He immediately jumped into the car and drove to an area near Menemsha. The emergency was one of many situations that Stearns deals with on a weekly basis, and this particular one was an urgent call to assist a Dermochelys coriacea that was struggling in a lobster pot trap line. A common occurrence for sea turtles in the area, Stearn knew exactly what to do. Assisted by trained staff, he knew better than to cut the line immediately, since such a act could severely harm the turtle if it were to swim away too soon with part of the line still attached to the body. As the turtle struggled violently, Stearn and his partners worked patiently to completely untangle the unfortunate victim from the deadly line, and finally his expertise prevailed and the sea turtle was able to swim away unharmed, albeit fatigued. Another victory for him and his dedicated staff, he does however caution against attempting to free any marine animals without the proper staff present, as this endeavor can prove dangerous to both the rescuers as well as the animals. Although it is a tiring and time-consuming occupation, Stearn loves his job and experiencing the joy of watching a freed animal swim away from a potentially fatal incident makes all the long and tiring hours more than worth it.

Turtle News From Around the World

Conservation

UK: Stamp display raises awareness for turtle project

Seychelles: Staff back to work with busy season

USA: Rising water table causes turtle sightings

UK: Over 500 hatchlings rescued from deadly fate

Asia: Tourists contributing to sea turtle conservation

UK: The debate over sea turtle consumption

UK: Meet the newest team member of the Olive Ridley Project

Crime & Punishment

Asia: Huge increase in smuggling attempts reported

Miscellany

USA: Sea turtle Inc. adorned with brand-new artwork

Question or Concerns? Want to submit an article to get posted? Email us at [email protected].

Photo from Bret Stearns.

Author

WTN Editor

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Shopping Cart
Scroll to Top