The green turtle is not named for the color of its carapace, plastron,
or skin. The "green" comes from the greenish layer of fat under the
carapace.
Why would someone make chopsticks out of a turtle
shell?
You tell me.
What is the carapace?
A turtle's upper shell. Viewing the carapace is one of the easier
ways to determine which species a turtle is. Each species has a distinctive
carapace, and individual turtles will have a slightly different pattern
than every other turtle of her/his species.
What is the plastron?
A turtle's lower shell.
Why is shrimp trawling such a major threat to turtles?
The turtles get caught in the nets and, if there is no TED, cannot get
out and so drown. This does not HAVE to be a threat, but it is.
What does 'TED' stand for, and what exactly is it?
A TED is a Turtle Excluder Device, and inexpensive and easy-to-install
boxlike contraption that should be attached to shrimp nets. If perchance
a turtle is caught in a shrimp net, this device allows her/him to escape
with little or no loss of the shrimp. In the U.S., a TED must be
used on all shrimp boats. However, some fishermen/women are not installing
this properly, and/or are tampering with it and/or NOT USING IT AT ALL.
And now a WTO (World Trade Organization) ruling is threatening the part
of the Endangered Species Act which protects turtles.
