Siesta Key Beach, Florida--July 10, 1997--midnight
The sky is deep black, except for the tiny pinpricks of sparkling white stars, which reflect off the even blacker waters of the Gulf of Mexico. At first glance, the beach appears to be deathly still. But two feet under the top of the white sand, new life is beginning . . .the eggs are beginning to break . . .92 two-inch-long loggerheads are making their way towards the outside air--and the sea. Finally, their tiny noses and flippers emerge, out into the darkness, and instinctively, the hatchlings patter towards the ocean.
And one of these hatchlings is mine.
MEER-MIR
Unfortunately, s/he is probably not alive as you read this. There are too many things which can murder baby turtles, even before they reach the cool waters of the ocean. Predators--raccons, birds, crabs--might have been waiting for their prey on the sands. But even after surviving that, Meer-Mir would have had to dodge water pollution such as ballons and plastic bags, tar balls, and discarded fishing line. And then there are even more tragic ways to drown a hatchling, subadult, or breeder. Being caught in fishing nets or shrimp trawls, being struck by a boat, diseases.
THIS IS WHY SEA TURTLES ARE ENDANGERED.
Only 1 in 1750 loggerhead hatchlings live to age 15 . . .a female must be 15 to 35 years old to reproduce . . .only 90% of eggs laid hatch . . .think about this.
In the United States, sea turtles are supposed to be protected by the Endangered Species Act. But if so, then why are these beautiful living creatures being slaughtered so carelessly?
It doesn't take much to equip your shrimp boat with a Turtle Excluder Device (TED). It doesn't take much to adopt a turtle . . .only love and care for them, be the species green, hawksbill, or olive ridley.
SO PLEASE, OPEN YOUR HEART TO TURTLES LIKE MY MEER-MIR.
