Dear dive buddy,
Whether you live in or near Broward, or are coming to visit, between now and the end of September the baby sea turtle hatchlings in Broward County need your help!
Do you know what kills most baby sea turtles?
I'm a volunteer with STOP, Sea Turtle Oversight Protection. Our mission is "To rescue disoriented sea turtle hatchlings in Broward County, Florida." Every night along the beaches of Broward, we walk from nest to nest looking for hatchlings, and when we know a nest is about to hatch out, we monitor it to make sure the babies get to the water.
We need your help!!! It isn't hard. You don't even need to commit a long period of time. ANY night you are available, any time from about 8:00 p.m. to the wee hours of the morning, you can volunteer. Your assignment could be as simple as sitting at a nest waiting for a hatchout, or as complicated as walking along the sand looking for disoriented turtle babies. Yes, it's that easy.
To get involved, contact STOP through their website or contact me to get in touch with the volunteer in your area. I work the Hollywood/Dania Beach area but there is a greater need in Fort Lauderdale and especially Pompano Beach and Lauderdale by the Sea.
Can you help, even if it is just one night? We just need a spare set of eyes to help us find the errant hatchlings so we can get them to the water.
Make it your date night. Make it your family night out. Just please help us help the baby turtles!
Below is a video taken the other night by a STOP volunteer showing just how much the turtles need your help!!!
Whether you live in or near Broward, or are coming to visit, between now and the end of September the baby sea turtle hatchlings in Broward County need your help!
Do you know what kills most baby sea turtles?
Lights on shore or on piers that disorient the hatchlings from going toward the ocean. They end up dehydrated in the dune vegetation and die, or they end up on the road to be killed by cars.
We need your help!!! It isn't hard. You don't even need to commit a long period of time. ANY night you are available, any time from about 8:00 p.m. to the wee hours of the morning, you can volunteer. Your assignment could be as simple as sitting at a nest waiting for a hatchout, or as complicated as walking along the sand looking for disoriented turtle babies. Yes, it's that easy.
To get involved, contact STOP through their website or contact me to get in touch with the volunteer in your area. I work the Hollywood/Dania Beach area but there is a greater need in Fort Lauderdale and especially Pompano Beach and Lauderdale by the Sea.
Can you help, even if it is just one night? We just need a spare set of eyes to help us find the errant hatchlings so we can get them to the water.
Make it your date night. Make it your family night out. Just please help us help the baby turtles!
Below is a video taken the other night by a STOP volunteer showing just how much the turtles need your help!!!
This is video proof of a serious problem. Sea Turtle hatchlings become disoriented by lights on the beach from businesses and homes. The hatchlings walk towards the light, onto roads, fall into drains or become dehydrated and use their small energy reserves wondering the beach in circles.
This video was taken on 7/10/2010 in Ft. Lauderdale FL on a single night on a 1 mile stretch of beach.. Imagine what we miss...
The instinct to go towards the light is so powerful that these hatchlings had to be manually redirected several times, even after they were put next to the water.
How is this legal to kill a Federally protected endangered species???
This video was taken on 7/10/2010 in Ft. Lauderdale FL on a single night on a 1 mile stretch of beach.. Imagine what we miss...
The instinct to go towards the light is so powerful that these hatchlings had to be manually redirected several times, even after they were put next to the water.
How is this legal to kill a Federally protected endangered species???
ITS NOT!!! IT IS A FELONY OFFENSE!!!
