Other Turtle Discussion :: Turtle Race!

[kiwigerman]

I'm backing Turtleocity. He's taking a bit of a whipping, but its a long way to go. C'mon Turtleocity!!!

[pumpkinsherbet]

whee saphira's jumped up a place.

looks like sundae and drex are both still on the shore?

stephen colbert has his own turtle that's so awesome

[SpotsMama]

Sundae's just saving herself for the final sprint. She's my girl!

[SpotsMama]

Here's an update:

Friday, April 20:

Size paid off on Thursday for Stephanie Colburtle. Yesterday, on Day Four of The Great Turtle Race, the 5’5 turtle - the biggest of the bunch - darted past Billie and is now giving leader Windy a verified swim for her money.

In third place, Billie continues to use her popularity at sea to her benefit. Billie was seen Thursday drafting behind a school of billfish. With her buddies breaking the wake, Billie is taking advantage of a swift ride.

Seventh place Saphira also had a strong swim on Day Four, as she sped up to separate herself from the back of the pack. Turtle analysts say Saphira’s deliberate race strategy could be the key to her success. Saphira stayed on the beach for nearly two hours making a nest for her eggs before crossing the start line, and seems to have calculated that now is the time to come from behind and make her move.

The only two rookies in the race, meantime, are having trouble navigating the course. Both Purple Lightning and Turtleocity struggled to fix their internal compasses Thursday as they headed towards Colombia instead of the Galapagos. Unlike humans, sea turtles use the Earth’s magnetic field to help them determine where they are.

Media darling Drexelina is still not a contender as she lags behind with Sundae. Some speculate that there’s something captivating the attention of these two along the shore - something far more important than the race. Others venture that having laid 783 eggs this season, Sundae, this year’s most fertile turtle, is downright exhausted. Scientists say the both turtles look nice and healthy. The race organizers expect to hold a press conference about the girls tomorrow morning.

Visit http://www.greatturtlerace.com/, where the turtles' movements are updated every 10 minutes! While you're there, check out Leatherback World, with interactive animations of the challenges these turtles face along their journeys.

[pumpkinsherbet]

Yay mine's jumped another place!!! and a big WOW to sundae for all those eggs! i bet she's exhausted!

[SpotsMama]

I'd be exhausted too! She deserves a rest!

[Ferd]

im gonna have to back up genevie. we fostered a bouvier with that exact name
(bouviers are big dogs)

GO GIRL GO!!!

[pumpkinsherbet]

stephen colbert is going to get a letter from me.
===================================

For the first time in The Great Turtle Race, Ms. Stephanie Colburtle finished the day in the lead. Stephanie has been a top contender throughout the week, but stepped up her performance on Saturday to glide past Billie into first place.

Billie - whose trademark flipper notches indicate she’s accustomed to others nipping at her heels - refused to give in without a fight. Though she momentarily gave her fans a scare by darting off course on Day Six, Billie has the willpower to remain a serious competitor.

Farther back on the course on Saturday, Genevieve temporarily stole the limelight from Stephanie, as she dove to 406 feet and held her breath for a staggering 36.5 minutes. Genevieve may not be the fastest swimmer of the group, but yesterday’s dive put her within reach of a world record for the time she spent underwater. Some researchers say a 30-minute dive is off the charts; others suspect some leatherbacks at sea may have the ability to hold their breath for close to an hour.

Saphira, Freedom, Genevieve and Champiro are going shell to shell in the mid-field, while young Turtleocity and Purple Lightning continue to explore the sea.

As for Drexelina and Sundae? They’re receiving fan mail from well-wishers worldwide for their valiant efforts to protect the coast.

Visit http://www.greatturtlerace.org where the turtles' movements are updated every 10 minutes! While you're there, check out the Turtle Champions page to learn more about the experts who fight for the survival of leatherbacks and some of the policies in place to protect the turtles.

[megcornell]

My Champiro is positioning herself for a win, holding strong in 4th where she can easily overtake those slow pokes in the first three spots

I wonder why Sundae and Drexelina aren't leaving the coast? Taking the scenic route I suppose.

[DavidY]

This is actually kind of exciting. I'm gonna have to get in on this next year! $$

[SpotsMama]

Sundae's my girl and I wonder too why she's staying on the coast. She really hasn't gone anywhere to speak of - actually I think she's closer to the starting point now than she was at day one. I hope she's ok. They keep indicating on the web site that there's no cause for concern. I know with hummingbirds, for instance, they don't always migrate on the same day. Maybe Sundae and Drexelina are going to head out a little later. If they don't migrate, but just stay where they are, I wonder if they'll be ok. Some killer whales migrate and some don't.

Time will tell!

[DavidY]

If they were males I'd be guessing that they were trying to woo a particularly attractive rock or something.

[SpotsMama]

I suppose all the males are taking it easy on the Galapagos.

[pumpkinsherbet]

you didn't get the update yesterday? she's playing patrol, protecting the nests with the other one.

Saturday, April 21:

Great Turtle Race LogoThis morning, scientists announced that Drexelina and Sundae have been so appalled by development along the coast that they’re patrolling the beaches instead of competing in The Great Turtle Race. Sea turtles’ nesting grounds are often destroyed by construction of hotels, restaurants and houses along the shoreline. Not if it’s up to Sheriff Sundae and Deputy Drexelina!

Back out at sea, drama was the name of the game on Day Five of the competition. In a disappointing swim, Windy sunk in the ranks, allowing Billie to capture the lead, Stephanie to hold onto second, and come-from-behind Saphira to tear into third.

“On the bright side, she didn’t get plucked out of the sea by a fisherman, chomped by a great white shark, or choke on a plastic bag,” said Windy’s coach. “It could have been worse.”

In the middle of the pack, Genevieve and Champiro had strong swims Friday, and many fans spent the day praising Champiro for her steady determination and constant improvement. Since debuting on the nesting circuit seven years ago, Champiro has grown longer and wider with each season. Having made eight nests in 2001, Champiro has now boosted that number to 12 in the 2006-2007 season.

Freedom, who has laid more than 1,500 eggs in the past 12 years, moved up from eighth to seventh place on Day Five. And erratic newcomer Purple Lightning, who remains in ninth, had the fastest split of the day as she moved through the ocean at an average speed of two miles per hour.

Visit http://www.greatturtlerace.org where the turtles' movements are updated every 10 minutes!

[SpotsMama]

Thanks pumpkin.