The Great Turtle Race II

The Great Turtle Race II has started! It's day four in the competition as the Leatherbacks race in the Pacific. There are eleven contenders this year. I really like this "race" concept because it brings good media attention to the plight of the sea turtles. And the interactive website definitely can help get kids of all ages excited about what's going on. So if you haven't already, get over there and send in your support for turtle conservation.

Here's an explanation of the race if you're not familiar with it:

The eleven sponsored turtles have been equipped with satellite tags and are “racing” toward the International Dateline (or the middle of the Pacific Ocean) from nesting beaches in Indonesia and feeding areas along the U.S. West Coast. The leatherback is a 100 million-year-old massive sea turtle that outlived the dinosaurs but is now dangerously close to extinction. Leatherback numbers in the Pacific Ocean have decreased from about 115,000 two decades ago to fewer than 5,000 today. This online event will raise funds to protect leatherback turtle-nesting areas in Indonesia and raise awareness about what individuals can do—on both sides of the Pacific Ocean—to help protect sea turtles in our daily actions.