EarthEcho International Presents: Sea Turtles and the State of Our Oceans
Summary
Sea turtles are a keystone species for ocean ecosystems. They are telling us the health of the ocean, which in turn tells us the health of the planet. At The Sea Turtle Hospital at Loggerhead Marinelife Center (LMC), the number of sea turtle patients coming in has not slowed down. Many of the sea turtles that are treated in the hospital have injuries or illnesses that are human-related including unintentional boat strikes, constriction injuries due to fishing gear, and ingestion of marine debris. Through water quality monitoring and other citizen science programs, LMC is able to tie in ocean health with education and encourage guests to take action to protect our local ecosystems. In this session, Caroline will discuss LMC's work to protect threatened and endangered sea turtles by promoting conservation of ocean ecosystems.
Panelists
Caroline Tapley
Caroline Tapley is a biologist and the Programs Coordinator for the Education Department at LMC, a 501(c)-3 non-profit education and ocean conservation facility located in Juno Beach, Florida. Caroline grew up in Jupiter, Florida and began volunteering at LMC in 2007 in the Sea Turtle Hospital. In addition to volunteering, Caroline has worked in various departments at LMC including the Research, Rehabilitation, and most recently, Education. As the Programs Coordinator, she creates, implements, and manages programs that make science and conservation accessible to the general public through engaging and interactive programming.