From:TheBahamasWeekly.com
Bahamas National Trust Interns Help With Annual Sea Turtle Tagging
By Bahamas National Trust
Oct 24, 2014 - 1:36:44 PM
Current interns, Alliea Hanna and Marquis Rolle and researchers are surveying major sea turtle habitats around Eleuthera, paying special attention to small loggerhead turtles. (BNT Photos)
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ELEUTHERA, Bahamas – Despite
extensive conservation efforts globally, sea turtles still remain on the
endangered list. Through its Sea-Turtle
Tagging Internship the Bahamas National Trust (BNT) is contributing to the
conservation of sea turtles. Each year the BNT supports two or three Sea-Turtle
Tagging Expeditions which are designed to evaluate movement and distribution
patterns of sea turtles in The Bahamas.
The
expeditions have become amazing learning experiences for both interns and
turtle researchers. Interns, Alliea Hanna, Marquis Rolle and
researchers recently surveyed major sea turtle habitats around Eleuthera,
paying special attention to small loggerhead turtles.
The
internship inspires the students to become better environmental stewards while improving
their public speaking skills, learning real life research skills and increasing
their knowledge of The Bahamas’ endangered turtles.
During
the expeditions the interns and researchers live aboard the ‘Foxy Lady’, which
is a sleep-aboard vessel and where they are required to help with all of the
daily chores, in addition to the research and prep work for presentations. They
are also required to deliver presentations in various communities on major
islands about the BNT and the work it’s doing to protect these precious
turtles.
“The BNT
is pleased to provide young people an internship opportunity that allows them
to work alongside veteran researchers and engage in real scientific research,”
said Portia Sweeting, BNT Director of Education. “We see this incredible experience as an
investment into our future conservation leaders and thank Mr. Stephen Connett
and Barbara Crouchley, leader researchers, for the expertise they bring to the
program.”
This is
the fourth year of this programme. For those interested in learning more about
the BNT internship program students should visit www.bnt.bs or contact the
headquarters of The Bahamas National Trust at (242) 393-1317 or bnt@bnt.bs. To
follow the BNT’s sea turtle research and education initiative go to www.bahamasseaturtleresearch.org
or like the BNT on Facebook.
The
Bahamas National Trust was created by an Act of Parliament in 1959
to build and manage the national park system of the Bahamas. Possibly the only
non-governmental organization in the world charged with such a responsibility
the TRUST, as it is commonly known works daily to conserve and protect the
natural resources of The Bahamas, through stewardship and education for present
and future generations. There are currently 27 National Parks managed by the
TRUST with more than 1 million acres of marine and terrestrial areas protected.
Website: http://www.bnt.bs/Facebook
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