Lauren Conrad Urges Action to Protect Endangered Sea Turtles
Celebrity and designer Lauren Conrad is speaking out for endangered sea turtles. She’s urging her fans and the public to help protect these iconic marine creatures before it’s too late. Moreover, she’s partnering with the Endangered Species Coalition to spread the word about the serious threats sea turtles face around the world.
Threats Facing Sea Turtles
Sea turtles have lived on Earth for over 100 million years. However, today they’re in danger of disappearing. Many species are classified as endangered or threatened. For example, they face dangers from habitat loss, illegal poaching, and plastic pollution in the oceans.
Additionally, climate change is raising sand temperatures on nesting beaches. This change can skew hatchling sex ratios, making conservation even more urgent. By calling attention to these problems, Lauren Conrad hopes to inspire meaningful action and solutions.
A Call to Action
Lauren Conrad isn’t just raising awareness. She’s asking people everywhere to take simple but powerful steps to help sea turtles. For example, reducing single-use plastics cuts the risk of marine animals ingesting or becoming entangled in trash. Moreover, supporting conservation groups working to protect nesting beaches and stop poaching is crucial.
She says:
“Sea turtles are incredible creatures that need our help. By learning more about them and making small changes, we can protect them for future generations.”
I feel so lucky that I had a chance to witness the hatching of these sea turtles,” Lauren Conrad said. “These incredible animals deserve our protection and respect. So it’s encouraging to know that a simple policy change could save thousands of them every year. I encourage everyone to visit Oceana.org/SaveSeaTurtles and take action today.”
In addition, Oceana is encouraging the next generation of sea turtle lovers to write to President Obama and Secretary Penny Pritzker. We are also telling them why we love sea turtles and why they should be protected. Oceana and One More Generation will collect the letters. Then we will also present them to the U.S. government on World Sea Turtle Day, June 16, 2016.
The PSAs were shot at the Rancho Nuevo Sanctuary in Tamaulipas, Mexico. It was during a mass hatching in June 2015. There, Oceana worked with Mexico’s National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP) to patrol beaches for nesting turtles. As well as to release the hatchlings into the Gulf of Mexico. Rancho Nuevo is the nesting site for 95 percent of the world’s Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles, which arrive in great numbers in the spring and early summer.
In addition and according to CONANP, approximately 97,000 Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles emerged from more than 2,000 nests. All which were also monitored by CONANP during their incubation. So CONANP’s work to protect this important Kemp’s Ridley nesting site is part of a collaborative bi-national program. All as a result between Mexico and the U.S. Finally, with the Gladys Porter Zoo administering the U.S. field portion.
In conclusion, the PSAs and online resources are available at http://www.Oceana.org/SaveSeaTurtles. Also, the PSAs will air in print and on national television beginning today.
Additional Resources:
CONANP release about Kemp’s Hatchlings in 2015 (en Espanol):http://www.conanp.gob.mx/difusion/comunicado.php?id_subcontenido=883
Info on Kemp’s from the National Marine Fisheries Service: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/turtles/kempsridley.htm
Gladys Porter Zoo info on Kemps Conservation and program with Mexico: http://gpz.org/kemps-ridley-turtle-project/
Letter writing campaign:
More information at usa.oceana.org/turtles. Deadline for letters is May 23, 2016 to either of the addresses listed below. Letters may also be scanned and emailed:
