10 Easy Ways of Helping Turtles Survive

10 Easy Ways of Helping Turtles Survive Sea turtles have lived on Earth for about 110 million years. However, due to human activity, 6 of the 7 sea turtle species- green, Kemp’s ridley, olive ridley, flatback, hawksbill, and leatherback- are now classified as endangered. The seventh species, the loggerhead, is classified as threatened (likely to become an endangered species in the near future). Organizations Dedicated to Helping Sea Turtles Contact the following organizations to donate, volunteer, and learn more about ways to help the sea turtles:Sea Turtle ConservancySEE TurtlesTurtle Island Restoration NetworkThe Ocean FoundationOceanic Society How to Help Sea Turtles Survive According to the Sea Turtle Conservancy and the World Wildlife Fund, sea turtles face threats from overharvesting and poaching, global warming, ocean pollution, and the encroachment of human activity on their nesting sites. Although targeting these problems may seem like an overwhelming task, there are specific actions you can take to ensure the survival of sea turtles. Baby hawksbill turtle after being rescued. Jereme Thaxton/Getty Images Source Your Seafood Responsibly Sea turtles often become the bycatch of irresponsible fishing methods. Educate yourself on how your seafood was caught and support organizations that advocate for the sustainable catching of seafood. The Monterey Bay Aquariums Seafood Watch website and app allow you to look up specific types of seafood and determine if they were responsibly sourced. In addition, organizations like Too Rare to Wear also have information on products that have been made from turtle shells, like jewelry and souvenirs, which are often sold to tourists in tropical regions. Get Rid of Pollution Sailors from the USS Thorn use bolt cutters and knives to free the only surviving sea turtle in a group of four found tangled in some long-ago discarded netting, July 10, 2001 in the Mediterranean Sea. U.S. Navy / Getty Images Help make beaches safe for turtles and other marine animals by participating in cleanups to help remove trash from the beach. Doing so will also stop more trash from entering the oceans, reducing the chances that a turtle may become trapped or eat it. Many local groups organize such cleanups year-round, or you can organize a beach clean-up day with some friends. Cleaning up the beach may also help make that locations habitable for turtles again. After a 2-year beach cleanup in Miami that removed over 11 million pounds of trash from the environment, olive ridley turtle hatchlings were spotted making their way from the nest to the ocean, which had not occurred in decades. Previously, the turtles had been able to lay eggs on the beach but could not maneuver in the trash. Replace Disposable Plastic With Reusable Items Plastic bag at sea. These can be dangerous to sea turtles who mistake them for food, such as jellyfish. _548901005677/Moment Open/Getty Images You can help prevent trash from ever entering the ocean in the first place by recycling and reducing the amount of trash that you create. For some items, consider using their reusable counterparts, like shopping bags and water bottles to reduce your chances of polluting the beach. Plastic bags are especially troublesome, as sea turtles can mistake them for their favorite snack: jellyfish. You can also avoid other single-use items, like balloons during a birthday beach bash, which will likely end up in the ocean where they will be eaten by turtles and other wildlife. Keep Beaches Dark at Night WWF volunteers coax released baby green turtles that were found at a nest site the day before, to the waters edge with lights at Acyatan Beach on August 23, 2018 in Adana, Turkey. Chris McGrath / Getty Images Nesting turtles and hatchlings use the moons natural lighting as a guide. Instinctively, they follow the brightest direction to find their way to the water, but if they are disoriented by artificial lighting, they may wander inland and die of dehydration or predation. Avoid all forms of artificial light while at the beach at night, including flashlights, flash photography, video cameras, and fires on nesting beaches. If you do need lighting, try to avoid directly illuminating the beach, using a shade to minimize the amount of light shining in the area. If staying at a beachfront property, be sure to turn off all lights at night. If you do see disoriented baby turtles at night, do not take it upon yourself to move the turtles. Contact a nature conservancy organization or local authorities. Be Careful When Boating and Fishing A moving boat can seriously injure or kill a turtle, so stay alert if you are boating in the ocean. If you spot sea turtles in the water, stay at least 50 yards away. If they are close to your boat, put your engine on neutral or turn it off until the turtles swim away. Change your fishing location if you spot sea turtles nearby or they show interest in your bait. And remember to collect all of your fishing gear and supplies once youre done, especially fishing line, hooks, and nets. Don’t Disturb the Turtles An NPS volunteer helps Kemps ridley sea turtle hatchlings reach the water at South Padre Island National Seashore. Who knew volunteering could be so adorable?.  © qnr via Flickr Never pick up a hatchling. Though it may be tempting, doing so may frighten or disorient them. If you do want to watch one, attend a sea turtle watch hosted by an organization, which would allow you to observe the sea turtles without disturbing them. Do not catch a baby turtle in an aquarium or bucket of water. This will use up the energy they need to swim to the ocean after they emerge from their nest. Reduce Your Carbon Footprint Global warming can skew the gender ratios of sea turtles, as well as the distribution of predators and prey. Although climate change might seem like too big an issue to tackle, there are many steps you can personally take to reduce global warming. Adopt a Sea Turtle Support sea turtle conservation efforts by â€Å"adopting a sea turtle† or making a donation to a wildlife conservation program that monitors and helps satellite-tracked turtles. You can also â€Å"adopt a nest† during nesting season. Avoid Beach Activities at Night Try to avoid walking on the beach at night during the summer, as this may frighten nesting turtles back into the sea. To help make it easier for turtles to navigate the beach, you can also remove beach furniture and other equipment from the beach before the nighttime, as turtles may become caught in them or become disoriented. Help Spread Awareness There are many ways you can help make a positive change for sea turtles. One main way is through education. You can help educate your local neighborhood or school by giving presentations, and tell people about the cause during conversations. Sources â€Å"Adoption Programs.† Seaturtle.org, Seaturtle.org, www.seaturtle.org/adopt/.â€Å"Endangered Ocean: Sea Turtles.† Ocean Today, National Ocean Service, oceantoday.noaa.gov/endoceanseaturtles/.â€Å"Information About Sea Turtles, Their Habitats and Threats to Their Survival.† Conserveturtles.org, Sea Turtle Conservancy, conserveturtles.org/information-about-sea-turtles-their-habitats-and-threats-to-their-survival/.â€Å"Ways to Help.† Ways to Help the Sea Turtles, Nova Southeastern University, cnso.nova.edu/seaturtles/ways-to-help.html.â€Å"What Can You Do to Save Sea Turtles?† NOAA Fisheries, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 6 June 2016, www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/what-can-you-do-save-sea-turtles.â€Å"What Is the Difference Between Endangered and Threatened?† Wolf - Western Great Lakes, U.S. Fish Wildlife Service, Mar. 2003, www.fws.gov/midwest/wolf/esastatus/e-vs-t.htm.

The Story of the Jonestown Massacre

The Story of the Jonestown Massacre On November 18, 1978, Peoples Temple leader Jim Jones instructed all members living in the Jonestown, Guyana compound to commit an act of revolutionary suicide, by drinking poisoned punch. In all, 918 people died that day, nearly a third of whom were children. The Jonestown Massacre was the most deadly single non-natural disaster in U.S. history until September 11, 2001. The Jonestown Massacre also remains the only time in history in which a U.S. congressman (Leo Ryan) was killed in the line of duty. Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple Jim Jones, his wife, and their adopted children. Don Hogan Charles / Getty Images Founded in 1956 by Jim Jones, the Peoples Temple was a racially integrated church that focused on helping people in need. Jones originally established the Peoples Temple in Indianapolis, Indiana, but then moved it to Redwood Valley, California in 1966. Jones had a vision of a communist community, one in which everyone lived together in harmony and worked for the common good. He was able to establish this in a small way while in California but he dreamed of establishing a compound outside of the United States. This compound would be fully under his control, allow Peoples Temple members to help others in the area, and be far away from any influence of the United States government. The Settlement in Guyana The Jonestown Pavilion, now abandoned. Bettmann Archive / Getty Images Jones found a remote location in the South American country of Guyana that fit his needs. In 1973, he leased some land from the Guyanese government and had workers begin clearing it of jungle. Since all building supplies needed to be shipped in to the Jonestown Agricultural Settlement, construction of the site was slow. In early 1977, there were only about 50 people living in the compound and Jones was still in the U.S. However, that all changed when Jones received word that an exposà © was about to be printed about him. The article included interviews with ex-members. The night before the article was to be printed, Jim Jones and several hundred Peoples Temple members flew to Guyana and moved into the Jonestown compound. Things Go Wrong in Jonestown Jonestown was meant to be a utopia. However, when members arrived at Jonestown, things were not as they expected. Since there werent enough cabins built to house people, each cabin was filled with bunk beds and overcrowded. The cabins were also segregated by gender, so married couples were forced to live apart. The heat and humidity in Jonestown was stifling and caused a number of members to get sick. Members were also required to work long work days in the heat, often up to eleven hours a day. Throughout the compound, members could hear Joness voice broadcast through a loudspeaker. Unfortunately, Jones often would talk endlessly on the loudspeaker, even through the night. Exhausted from a long days work, members did their best to sleep through it. Although some members did love living in Jonestown, others wanted out. Since the compound was surrounded by miles and miles of jungle and encircled by armed guards, members needed Jones permission to leave. And Jones didnt want anyone to leave. Congressman Ryan Visits Jonestown Congressman Leo Ryan. Bettmann Archive / Getty Images U.S. Representative Leo Ryan from San Mateo, California heard reports of bad things happening in Jonestown; thus, he decided to go to Jonestown and find out for himself what was going on. He took along his adviser, an NBC film crew, and a group of concerned relatives of Peoples Temple members. At first, everything looked fine to Ryan and his group. However, that evening, during a big dinner and dance in the pavilion, someone secretly handed one of the NBC crewmembers a note with the names of a few people who wanted to leave. It then became clear that some people were being held against their will in Jonestown. The following day, November 18, 1978, Ryan announced that he was willing to take anyone who wished to leave back to the United States. Worried about Jones reaction, only a few people accepted Ryans offer. The Attack at the Airport When it was time to leave, the Peoples Temple members who had stated they wanted out of Jonestown scrambled on board a truck with Ryans entourage. Before the truck got far, Ryan, who had decided to stay behind to ensure that there was no one else who wanted to leave, was attacked by a Peoples Temple member. The assailant failed to cut Ryans throat, but the incident made it obvious that Ryan and the others were in danger. Ryan then joined the truck and left the compound. The truck made it safely to the airport, but the planes werent ready to leave when the group arrived. As they waited, a tractor and trailer pulled up near them. From the trailer, Peoples Temple members popped up and started shooting at Ryans group. On the tarmac, five people were killed, including Congressman Ryan. Many others were severely wounded. Mass Suicide at Jonestown: Drinking Poisoned Punch Back in Jonestown, Jones ordered everyone to assemble at the pavilion. Once everyone was assembled, Jones spoke to his congregation. He was in a panic and seemed agitated. He was upset that some of his members had left. He acted like things had to happen in a hurry. He told the congregation that there was to be an attack on Ryans group. He also told them that because of the attack, Jonestown wasnt safe. Jones was sure that the U.S. government would react strongly to the attack on Ryans group. [W]hen they start parachuting out of the air, theyll shoot some of our innocent babies, Jones told them. Jones told his congregation that the only way out was to commit the revolutionary act of suicide. One woman spoke up against the idea, but after Jones offered reasons why there was no hope in other options, the crowd spoke out against her. When it was announced that Ryan was dead, Jones became more urgent and more heated. Jones urged the congregation to commit suicide by saying, If these people land out here, theyll torture some of our children here. Theyll torture our people, theyll torture our seniors. We cannot have this. Jones told everyone to hurry. Large kettles filled with grape flavored Flavor-Aid (not Kool-Aid), cyanide, and Valium were placed in the open-sided pavilion. Bettmann Archive / Getty Images Babies and children were brought up first. Syringes were used to pour the poisoned juice into their mouths. Mothers then drank some of the poisoned punch. Next went other members. Some members were already dead before others got their drinks. If anyone wasnt cooperative, there were guards with guns and crossbows to encourage them. It took approximately five minutes for each person to die. The Death Toll Bettmann Archive / Getty Images On that day, November 18, 1978, 912 people died from drinking the poison, 276 of whom were children. Jones died from a single gunshot wound to the head, but it is unclear whether or not he did this himself. Portraits of the Jonestown victims.   Symphony999 / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons Only a handful or so people survived, either by escaping into the jungle or hiding somewhere in the compound. In total 918 people died, either at the airport or at the Jonestown compound.