The Sea Turtle

Awareness and Importance of Sea Turtles:
For one of the next video projects, Squad B (Drew, Sandy, Paul, and myself) has decided to do a short piece on the sea turtle. We have very interesting photography and video footage of the gigantic sea turtle in the large ocean tank from our field trip at the New England Aquarium. From research thus far, I have learned that all 7 species of marine turtles that exist are either endangered or threatened. In the U.S., our waters contain 6 of these species and also have laws that protect them. Still though, there are many factors that threaten the sea turtles including pollution to the ocean, accidental capturing of protected species (which is called "bycatching"), and also harvesting of seaturtles for their shells, leather, and consumption. I have learned that seaturtles have served as important indicators of the vitality of the marine environment and its ecosystems.
Through study of sea turtles, we are able to determine numerous problems occurring within the marine environment. The extinction of species of sea turtles would result in the loss of our ability to find out this kind of information...which is why it is important to protect and conserve species of sea turtles! That is all for now...check the b squad website soon to view our upcoming projects.

Links where you can find out more about Sea Turtles:
1. NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/turtles/
2. Sea Turtle Species of the World: http://www.cccturtle.org/species.htm


Photo: Sea Turtle, taken by Melissa Marcus at the New England Aquarium