Racheal Devine                                   about 250 words

INTD: Science Writing

rmd20@geneseo.edu

Strange Reappearance of the Once Vanished Green Sea Turtle

In this article by Ben Goldfarb from Hakai Magazine, he tells the story of the green sea turtles in the Caribbean. Goldfarb starts with the recent finding of a baby green sea turtle by Frank Burchall and his granddaughter on the east end of Bermuda. Burchall then brought the turtle to the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo where the aquarist was shocked at what had just been brought to him. Even though the turtle is found in other tropical places they have been hunted down to none in the Caribbean, making this an incredible find. Then, Goldfarb tells the history of the disappearance of the turtles on the islands in the first place. Back in the 1800’s, turtle soup became more and more of a popular meal. Turtles were taken by the thousands to be eaten and eventually they disappeared from that area. After decades with no sign of nesting green sea turtles, the efforts to repopulate them by Wingate and others also failed. Although it is unknown for now where the mother of the baby turtles found came from, the project to repopulate them 40 years ago could have been effective, learning this,  Wingate says in an interview “There is always hope.”

This article is appealing to readers because it gives a sense hope to the dwindling world and the other species that are in situations just like this. If the green sea turtles can return, maybe other things can too.

Found:

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/curious-case-bermudas-mysterious-turtle-180960677/