Tortues de Mer, save a turtle Adopt a sea turtleSave the sea turtles

About turtles :

Did you know ?

Our earth is called earth but about three quarters (74%) of the surface is ocean. Turtles have been swimming freely in our oceans for at least 110 million years. Yes, turtles have outlived dinosaurs! Turtles have oar-like flippers that allow them to swim gracefully at speeds of 25-35 kilometers an hour. Like us turtles have lungs and need to come up to the surface to breath despite being able to sleep for several hours underwater. Turtles don't have teeth and their favourite food is jelly fish. Turtles are very gentle and peaceful creatures.

Turtles in Danger !

Sadly today, the seven species of marine turtles that still exist today are all included on the World Conservation Union's red list of endangered species. This is all because of us. Turtles don't hurt us so how and why do we hurt them? Turtles get tangled in our fishing nets. Turtles are hunted for their eggs, meat and shells. Turtles are killed by marine litter such as plastic bags and balloons. They confuse floating plastic bags and balloons for jellyfish, which they eat. Turtles cannot digest plastic or rubber which blocks their digestive tract and they die from starvation.

How can you help protect turtles ?

Rain carries our litter into streams and on to rivers and then out to sea. Make sure that you, your friends and your family don't drop litter. Please pick up litter like plastic bags and used balloons and put them in a proper bin.

Help by supporting the Kélonia turtle clinic.

It will not surprise you that Isabelle and Lola love turtles and support the work of the marine turtle observatory Kélonia in La Réunion island. They have visited Kélonia and sponsored two turtles Ginette and Coralie that were rescued by local fishermen having both swallowed Japanese fishing hooks. They were successfully treated at the Kélonia turtles' clinic before being released back into the ocean, each fitted with a satellite tracking device allowing us to follow their progress.To follow their progress please visit our facebook page below or https://wwz.ifremer.fr/lareunion/Les-tortues-en-direct.

If you would like to become a turtle lifeguard and sponsor (adopt) an injured turtle please contact us or Stéphane Ciccione, the director of Kélonia - www.kelonia.org and mention the tortuedemer.com injured turtle adoption program. Perhaps you would like to get your school involved. Maybe your class could do a sponsored swim to raise money for you to adopt an injured turtle together.

pdfOur sponsored turtles Ginette and Coralie adoption certificates

pdfOur visit to Kélonia

Generous t-shirts for turtles.

We will also soon be launching an initiative called t-shirts for turtles where we will donate 25% of the cost of each Tortue de Mer t-shirt we sell to the Kélonia turtle clinic.

Thanks for reading this and for getting to understand more about marine turtles and how you can help to protect these wonderful creatures.

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