Turtle Release
A few evenings ago we had the opportunity to participate in the release of baby turtles belonging to an endangered species of the Sea Turtle family. The local University has an ongoing program of rescuing eggs from nests along the beaches in this area that would otherwise be disturbed or robbed by the local people who haven’t quite got with the protection of endangered species programs. The eggs are highly prized by some of the indigenous people of the area. The University students then incubate the eggs for 45 days and the little ones hatch. At one day old they are then released to begin their journey back in to the sea and the possibility of one day becoming an adult who then would return to lay eggs, and the cycle would be repeated.
The odds of having 100 eggs hatched in a protected environment, and then 100 baby turtles released, only one will survive to adult status to return to the beach one day to lay eggs. If there were not programs to protect, hatch, and release, it would take 1000 eggs in the natural environment to allow 1 baby turtle to make it to become an adult.
As part of the fund raising efforts of the local program we were asked if we would sponsor a baby with a thirty peso donation ($3.00). We chose to sponsor four on behalf of our four grandchildren and promptly named our four, Mason, Maddie, Zak, and Ellie.
A line was drawn in the sand well up from the ocean surf as the little ones need to experience the struggle of reaching the waters edge on their own power. Kathleen released two and I released two. It was emotional moments for us both to know that the struggle for survival was very slim but yet we know that our little name sakes are tough and they should have a good chance to make it.
Good Luck Little Ones!
