Other Turtle Discussion :: Turtle Race!

[megcornell]

http://www.greatturtlerace.com/

I saw this online and thought it'd be interesting to share.

[Starchick]

So cool! We just found out that my best friend's boyfriend was selected for an internship in Cape Canaveral supervising sea turtle nesting sites! Hopefully he'll send back some pictures so I can share them!

[kiwigerman]

nice site. its sad how they are dying.

[pumpkinsherbet]

that is awesome! i just got paid today, i could probably make a donation

[SpotsMama]

I made a little donation. The turtle I'm backing in the race is Sundae. Go Sundae!

[pumpkinsherbet]

i'm trying to decide if i should do a one time donation or a monthly donation. $10/month isn't all that bad especially when you consider that one of the bigger bills i pay monthly has already been cut by $15. hmmm...

[myrtle1123]

I LOVE sea turtles! They are so cute. Sadly they are going!! Thanks for the sitee!!

[megcornell]

Yay, I'm glad people are looking at the site and donating. I think it's a great cause, those turtles are so majestic, and I'd hate to see Leo's distant cousins become extinct outside of aquariums and zoos...

[SpotsMama]

Here's another good site for sea turtles. They do work with all the different kinds. I hope starchick gets some good photos of actual sea turtle nests to share with us. They are amazing and mysterious creatures.

http://www.cccturtle.org/support.php

[turtle nut]

that is so sad i love those turtles

[SpotsMama]

Here's an update on the race:

April 16, 2007:

And they’re off! Eleven sea turtles set out for the Galapagos Islands TODAY after nesting on Costa Rica’s Playa Grande. On Day One, the Great Turtle Race already promises to be quite a competition.

Quick off the beach, Windy took the early lead, proving she’s determined not to let a few bumps and bruises hold her back. Like Windy, many sea turtles get hurt by boat propellers and fishing nets, lines, and hooks. But with a strong kick and a shoulder on the mend, Windy is hauling through the water at a speedy four-mile-per-hour pace.

Close on Windy’s flippers is the big and beautiful Stephanie Corburtle. Ms. Stephanie is one of many leatherbacks who have stayed away from the race in recent years; the number of turtles nesting on Playa Grande has dwindled by more than 90 percent in just a decade. Race experts now speculate that Stephanie was holed up in training and preparing for her comeback.

In an unusual turn of events today, Champiro, the turtle known for her stellar sense of direction, made a dive to 300 feet beneath the surface. Frontrunner Windy also plunged to 275 feet midday. They might have been snacking on jellyfish. To no one’s surprise, Hollywood starlet, Drexelina, got off to slow start after the paparazzi flashed photographs incessantly in her face at the starting line. Turtles are often disoriented by lights on the beach. Drexelina and Sundae are currently in last place.

To learn more about sea turtles and to check out the updated Great Turtle Race website, visit http://www.greatturtlerace.com/.

[pumpkinsherbet]

whee i just got that email too! i'm rooting for saphira.

oy, it would be nice to get the occasional livecam views of the race :mrturtle: unless i missed something?

errr, why didn't the code work ?

[SpotsMama]

Today's update. What an exciting race!

Tuesday, April 17:


About halfway through Day Two of The Great Turtle Race, Windy is in the lead, with Stephanie Colburtle trailing 23 miles behind in second.

Billie follows Stephanie just one short mile back. In a race that’s nearly 500 miles long, this is still anybody’s game.

Bringing up fourth is Purple Lightning, with Genevieve four miles behind. Closely bunched in the middle of the pack are Freedom, Champiro, Turtleocity and Saphira. Sundae and Drexelina bring up the rear.

Keep checking http://www.greatturtlerace.com/ throughout the day. The site is updated every ten minutes so you'll get the very latest on your turtle’s progress.

To get daily race commentary, visit Mr. Leatherback at http://www.myspace.com/mrleatherback. And be sure to check out http://www.topp.org/ to pick up your turtle’s widget to put on your blog. Remember, turtles need friends!

[grey goose]

Methinks Drexelina and Sundae don't realize there is a race going on.

[SpotsMama]

Hey, watch it there! Sundae's my girl! I'm really banking on her as my dark horse! She's just saving herself early on.