Updated February 17, 2022 at 01:53 PM
A green turtle (Photographed by Jennifer Gray).
A group representing the environment has teamed up to Bermuda College to bring back a series events that educate people about the environment.
The Eco Lunch and Learn series is a joint effort of the Bermuda Environmental Sustainability Taskforce and Jennifer Gray, the director for the Bermuda Turtle Project. Next Thursday will see a presentation about Bermuda’s turtles.
Amy Harvey, an earth- and environmental science lecturer at the college said that turtles are in danger worldwide. Some 61% of all species are currently considered endangered.
These magnificent creatures have survived millennia. But will they survive the threats from modern humans?
Habitat destruction, overexploitation, and climate change are just a few of the anthropocentric reasons for their demise.
Dr Harvey said that turtles play a critical role in the marine ecosystem as well as the environment as a whole.
She said that they not only increase the productivity but also help maintain healthy reefs. Both seagrasses as well as reefs play an integral role in carbon cycling and help to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Since the early 1600s Bermuda has been a leader in the protection and preservation of sea turtles. It will continue for many more years, as turtle survival is vital to the overall health and well-being of our marine ecosystems.
Jennifer Flood, executive officer at BEST, stated that turtles had survived mass extinctions that decimated dinosaurs but that human interference had made it more difficult for them to survive.
She stated that they did not fare well after humans arrived in Bermuda when turtles were considered an easy and abundant food source.
They are more amazing the more we know about them. Jennifer has been a turtle expert for decades and will share her vast knowledge with us.
Turtles and future generations owe it to us to ensure that they not only continue to visit our shores, but also start breeding once more.
The Eco Lunch and Learn With Ms Gray The Rise and fall of Bermuda’s Sea Turtles is being held online between 1pm and 2.
The chat sections on both channels will allow the audience to ask questions.
