We paid out our first reward of $5000 on Friday to someone who called me about a captured turtle in Great Bay and I can say that I have never been so happy to pay $5000 as I was that morning. I got a call around 6:00 a.m and went over there immediately. By the time I got there, the villagers from Great Bay had already rescued it from it's captor and were helping it out to sea. Big thanks to the caller and huge big up to the people of Great Bay who saved it. Again, it just shows that the majority of people in the area are very very conscious of protecting these incredible animals.
I have a picture on my phone which I will send to Rebecca and ask her to post it.
Wonderful news! Thanks for sharing! Do you know who captured it? Will they be prosecuted legally?
Congrats Annabelle!! that is great news.
Congratulations to Annabelle and all the sea turtle heros in Great Bay! Well done!
Ya know, I was having a bad day...until I read this post and saw this beautiful picture. Now all is right with the world...at least for today.
Great job TB! You are becoming an example to other communities...
YES YES, well done.
Nice photo
what is the size of the turtles that come to Great Bay and does anyone know the local or scientific name for the particular species ?
The country of my birth Malaysia is one of the world's only places where giant leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea), the largest of shore-hatching turtles come each year. To read/see more of the turtle issue in Malaysia and turtles in general, go here >> http://cheratingheritages.blogspot.com/2007/10/talking-about-turtles.html
Below are some google images of these turtles coming to lay on Malaysia's east coast, especially at a place called Rantau Abang. I saw a couple of such turtles there on the beach one night in the 1970's.
J A M
Excellent!!!!
These pictures are nice and all that, but this is NOT how to handle coming across a turtle. A little contest: Can anyone see things in these pictures that should NOT be happening?
Here's a link to a story about turtle conservation efforts in Malaysia with video.
Ban sought on sale of turtle eggs
http://english.aljazeera.net/video/asia-pacific/2011/09/201191945518691858.html
Things that should not be happening: Inappropriate handling of the turtle. Invasion of privacy while she lays her eggs. Light shining on her, she needs peace and quiet also she prefers darkness to light at this time.
They look scared to death!
Indeed the photos showing the Malaysian situation are shocking and sad. I think the figure I saw quoted is that those magnificent turtles coming ashore to hatch in Malaysia are at the moment running at approximately 2% (two !) of what the number was in the 1960s/70s.
J A M
See A Turtle... Let It Be!
Last year in TB to Great Bay I passed many turtle crossings from under shore brush to sea in day time. Not sure what to do but pass & jump over the crossing as I figure the crossing was a generational migration & timed with tides.
Like our salmon of the West Coast,BC, Canada heading up stream to spawn. Happening right now and recreational fisherman catching thier supposed quotas.
Not sure what to do other then 'Let It Be!'& Don't Search For Eggs. Also found a well decomposed & large complete shell(?)of a turtle, Back Sea Side of Great Bay, two years ago!
Is there a best WWW site that explains the Jamaican Turtle to the average & uneducated person what to do? How best to observe? Who to inform or not? ;-)
Good idea Jeannie of BC Canada - we do have a Save Jamaica's Sea Turtles Facebook page, but it has very few likes... we could definitely include a what to do and who to inform.. we could also put this information on JET's website. Will get this done as soon as possible...
Diana from JET
The problem with the Turtles is worsing all over the world, they are EXTINGUISHING, words used by the experts of National Geographic
Diana McCaulay, there wer 28 'likes' on the Facebook page you referred to, now there are 29! Thanks for letting us know about the page!
Can someone post a link yo the facebook page?
@>>>>> Can someone post a link to the facebook page
try clicking here
>>>
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-Jamaicas-Sea-Turtles/216487158394077
There it is.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-Jamaicas-Sea-Turtles/216487158394077
Just write 'save jamaicas sea turtles' and there it is!!!!!!!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-Jamaicas-Sea-Turtles/216487158394077
Here's the link to JET's Save Jamaica's Sea Turtles page - up to 65 "likes" now! Thanks, everybody...
We want to expand this program next year to more communities.. and we will be doing a report on the data we collected this year.