South Padre is best known for its Spring Break Extravaganzas and "bitchin" surf scene. I'm surprised that my most favorite part of our weekend adventure was a trip to the Sea Turtle Rescue Center. Hidden amongst tons of fancy-pants hotels, seafood restaurants, surf shops, and ginormous displays of American capitalism at its finest in the form of gift shops is this little sea-turtle haven. It's located right on the main boulevard in South Padre! Sea Turtle Inc is dedicated to the education, research, and rehabilitation for the preservation of the Sea Turtle and its environments. Learn more at: http://www.seaturtleinc.com/. They are a non-profit organization. The tour and class were just awesome and I highly recommend it for anyone visiting South Padre. I was horrified to learn that the terrible plastic bags that most of America uses ends up in the ocean and they look exactly like jelly fish. Jelly fish happens to be prey numero uno for our sea turtles, so they digest them and die or end up in the rehab. Most of the sea turtles' nesting grounds are located around the Gulf in Texas and Mexico. So, Sea Turtle Inc. tries their best to protect the eggs during incubation and birth. Developing small industries in coastal communities historically dependent on poaching sea turtles and their eggs have been given a long-term economic alternatives by Sea Turtle Inc. The photos attached show what these communities have been making in lieu of poaching turtles and their eggs.
They have been making lovely tote bags out of plastic bags, coconut jewelry and other carvings. It takes approximately 70 to 80 plastic grocery bags to make one of these totes. 
The cocount shell turtle pendant is handmade in Rancho Nuevo, Mexico. Ranch Nuevo is the primary nesting beach for the world's most endangered sea turtle, the Kemp's Ridley. Sea Turtle Inc. purchased dremmel tools and donated them to the Rancho Nuevo community with funds from public donations and souvenir sales. Pretty cool!
No comments:
Post a Comment