These are pictures from our research project in the Marquesas Keys, Florida. In Florida, green turtles of this size class were hunted for their meat to supply the demand for turtle soup in the U.S.. This unsustainable practice all but eliminated green turtles from Florida waters until they were protected by the Endangered Species Act. During the last 75 years large green turtles were rarely seen in Florida waters outside of the summer nesting season. Our research project discovered a foraging aggregation of large green turtles in the Marquesas Keys in densities that have not been documented in Florida in over 100 years. Data are collected from green turtles at this site to determine size frequencies, genetic origin, and disease rates in an effort to provide state and federal agencies an important tool in the conservation of these amazing animals and their aquatic habitats. To help support this project please click the PayPal icon on this page or go to our "How you can help" page.
For more information about this project please click here.
