Biosciences Seminar Series - Michaelmas 2013
19 November 2013 - 1pm - Zoology Museum (Wallace 129)
(please note change of date)
Sea turtles research and conservation
Dr. Jeanne A. Mortimer
(University of Florida, USA & Island Conservation Society, Seychelles)
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Sea and terrestrial turtles in a plate by Ernst Haeckel (1904)
Downloaded from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Haeckel_Chelonia.jpg
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Let's face it - it's nearly impossible to immagine the many millions of sea turtles that were swimming in the oceans even only a few hundred years ago. Today, all species of sea turtles are of conservation concern, after many years of over-harvesting, initiated already by the ancient sailors (e.g. see here). In general, overharvesting, especially overfishing, has profoundly affected all oceans and there are nearly no places left on earth were the oceans resemble the past state (for a fascinating account see this book by Callum Roberts).
However, thanks to the efforts of many researchers and conservationists, the decline in turtle numbers has slowed down apparently and we can still dream of having a similar face-to-face encounter while swimming in the oceans:
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| Downloaded from: http://www.livescience.com/37280-101-amazing-wild-animal-photographs.html |
One of these researchers which have dedicated their scientific live to understand and protect sea turtles is our departmental speaker of this week, Dr. Jeanne A. Mortimer from the NGO Island Conservation Society (Seychelles) and the University of Florida (USA). Jeanne has been working in the Seychelles since 1981 and became naturalised in 2007, but her work on coastal ecosystems ecology and conservation has taken her to all six continents.
Hence, come listen to a fascinating talk this Tuesday in the Zoology Museum!
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