It’s World Sea Turtle Day, and I just happen to have a sketch of a sea turtle hatchling!
I sketched this wee turtle, along with a handful of others in a display aquarium, last September. They were awaiting release at sunset, because the popular nesting site we visited was also one of Cyprus’s most popular beaches.
My only other experience with sea turtles was a snorkel outing in the ocean off of Maui, Hawai’i. We were swimming over a shallow reef when several huge sea turtles appeared beneath us. I was staggered by how huge they were – nearly the same length as my 6-foot-plus-tall husband.
Sea turtle conservation
The Sea Turtle Conservancy has lots of great information for those of us who live or vacation near sea turtles…and for all of us who produce trash.
Perhaps most importantly, the STC says, “Plastic that ends up in the ocean gets eaten up by turtles because they believe the plastic is jellyfish. Over 100 million marine animals are killed each year due to plastic debris. So buying and using products that decrease the use of plastic helps tremendously.”
Bethann Garramon Merkle, MFA 