Approximately 50,000 female sea turtles come to lay their eggs in Florida each year, making its beaches one of the most important nesting areas in the world. In the US, as much as 90 percent of sea turtle nesting occurs in Florida, which serves as a primary nesting site for several species of endangered and threatened sea turtles. Among the oldest creatures on earth, sea turtles have remained essentially unchanged for 110 million years.
Disney’s Vero Beach Resort proudly hosts a program annually that was created by the Sea Turtle Conservancy, “Tour de Turtles.” It follows the marathon migration of 15 sea turtles representing four different species from their nesting beaches to their foraging grounds. The ultimate goal of “Tour de Turtles” is to inspire people to care about sea turtle conservation.
The turtles acts as an ambassador to raise awareness about a specific threat to sea turtles. One potential threat is light pollution on the beach. Since sea turtle hatchlings rely on moonlight to find their way to the ocean, many become disoriented and drawn off-course by artificial light sources. Another threat is of entanglement. Turtles can become tangled in trash and nets and drown.
Researchers from Disney’s Animal Programs and the Sea Turtle Conservancy track the sea turtles using satellite telemetry as they travel from their nesting beach to various feeding grounds. Using this technology, scientists learn about sea turtles’ habits at sea and the different migratory patterns of each species. This knowledge helps researchers, conservationists and governing agencies make more informed decisions about sea turtle conservation actions and policies. Guests at Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park can find out about this research and follow the tracks of the turtles when they visit the Wildlife Tracking Center in Rafiki’s Planet Watch.
Enjoy this video of the 2011 Tour de Turtles:
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