Saving Sea Turtles

by Spotila, James R.

• ISBN13: 9780801899072
• ISBN10: 0801899079
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2011-03-08
• Publisher: Johns Hopkins Univ Pr

Summary

In April 2007, eleven leatherback turtles captured the imagination of the public worldwide as they "raced" from Costa Rica toward the Galápagos Islands. Known as the Great Turtle Race, this event tracked these critically endangered sea turtles, drawing attention to their fragile status and generating data on the turtles vital to efforts to study and protect them.But the Great Turtle Race is just one of many tools marine conservationists use to inform people about the status, biology, and lives of the seven sea turtle species. Due to human actions, once-plentiful sea turtle population levels plummeted throughout much of the twentieth century, stabilizing somewhat only after Archie Carr and Jacques Cousteau popularized their plight. With Saving Sea Turtles, award-winning author James R. Spotila picks up where Carr and Cousteau left off, going inside the modern-day conservation movement to tell the tales of today's sea turtle conservationists. He provides a complete overview of sea turtle biology and life cycles, discusses the human and natural world threats they face, and examines the new methods and technologies humans are using to save them. Throughout, Spotila dots the narrative with stories of real-life heroes who risk life and limb to understand, track, and conserve sea turtles across the globe.Spotila has been at the forefront of sea turtle research and conservation for decades. His inspirational story of dedicated individuals, creative endeavors, and adventure reveals what is being done and what else we must do in order to ensure that these fascinating animals continue swimming in the oceans.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. ix
Sea Turtles in the Modern World: Where Do We Stand Today?	p. 1
Life in the Egg: Buried Alive under Two Feet of Sand	p. 15
Race to the Sea: Coatis, Crabs, and Night Herons-Oh My!	p. 36
To the Horizon: The First Day	p. 52
Lost and Found: Life as a Juvenile	p. 57
The Deadliest Catch: The Other Side of Fishing	p. 78
Out of the Fire: The Gauntlet Continues	p. 93
Return to the Beach: You Can't Go Home Anymore	p. 100
Nesting: Taking Back the Night	p. 117
Las Baulas: The Last Hope for Pacific Leatherbacks	p. 132
Ostional: The Egg-stained Sands of Costa Rica	p. 144
Global Warming: Rising Seas, Lost Beaches, and Genders	p. 160
The Great Turtle Race: A New Approach to Conservation Education	p. 169
Sea Turtles and Satellites: Tales of Technology	p. 184
2100: A World with, or without, Sea Turtles?	p. 198
Index	p. 207
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