The Coast Guard went in search of illegal drugs, and ended up rescuing some turtles caught in fishing lines, instead. It's so nice to see people caring enough to help out creatures in need. http://www.khou.com/story/news/loca...ugs-at-sea-ends-up-rescuing-turtles/28642433/
This is a great story, and something you don't hear about too often. Here the Coast Guard was looking for illegal drugs and instead came to the aid of sea turtles. As they said in the article none of them even debated whether they should help the creatures, they just all knew they had to. Now that is true dedcation at work, it wasn't even their assignment at hand, but they took it upon themselves to do something.
Turtles need all the help they can get these days, actually almost any aquatic bird or sea creature needs help. Yet another oil spill on the west coast and nets all over the place. I doubt the wildlife populations ever rebounded from the gulf oil leak. Interestingly enough I noticed today that some of the wild birds native to this area did better then I would have thought, even though the Canadian Geese are not as robust it seems like the song birds and some of the herons have done okay. I am glad because ....well I am in awe of all things natural. Anyway here is a picture of a very large three legged turtle skeleton that I came acrossed and thought was really neat. Keep in mind that some species can live to 100 years old, one can only wonder how old a turtle this large could be. Or what it weighed.
This summer we had been to the province of Bataan for a brief vacation in a beach resort. Part of the package is a boat ride to an island and to a turtle sanctuary. There was a lecturer in the sanctuary that related to us the mortality rate of baby turtles. He put the number at 1%, yes, that's one percent survival for baby turtles being hatched in the sand. And if humans would assist those hatchlings to reach water, that is not a good idea according to the lecturer. That baby would just die at sea because it is weak. Sea turtles have long lives but their population is not exploding maybe because of that high mortality rate. So it is only right to conserve such marine creatures.
You get no argument on that from me-I totally agree. Maybe it is an over mothering function in me, or just because baby things seem so cute and in so much need of being protected. Regardless of what the drive is I always feel like the natural flora and fauna in all areas should be conserved. With that being said it is sad to think all the babies will not make it, but it is true and it is about the survival of the fittest when it comes to the animal kingdom. You are best to let the young find their own way. For a long time I felt like i would like to go see the hatch-lings, but I understand that as they make their dash there are tons of hungry predators waiting for a chance to feed. I don't think I could do well with that part even if it is the chain of life.
Aww, these kind of stories are my favorite! I love it when someone goes looking for and expecting something bad, and instead it turns out to be something great, something uplifting. In this case, that something was life itself! Ah, my day is better already for having read this!
What a surprise the Coastguard came across. Turtles that size must have lived long and thanks to the Coastguard they'll live longer too.