From Dr. Jim Spotila, turtle researcher, professor at Drexel University and president of the Leatherback Trust:
We’re doing this “race” to raise awareness and invite donations to protect leatherback turtles on Playa Grande's beaches and along the turtles' migration paths in the ocean. These amazing animals have been around 100 million years, but may have only 10 years left. I think the world needs to wake up to the issue and urgently help. As we say in the race theme, “They are going faster than you think.”
Populations in the world are crashing due to four human threats: egg poaching, loss of nesting beaches, accidental catch by commercial fishermen, and plastic -- leatherbacks eat jellyfish, which look like plastic bags. All seven major sea turtle species are endangered due to similar pressures.
Go to the website linked above & you can watch the race from Costa Rica to the Gallapagos Islands. The babies are so cute!
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