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Do you have a pet? If you don't have a pet, or even if you do, would you ever consider adopting a sea turtle? Consider the following personal ad:
I am a friendly female loggerhead sea turtle seeking adoption by a kind person. I am 3 feet long, weigh 350 pounds, and have an exceptionally large head. I travel about 1,300 miles a day in the ocean, but I come back home every two to three years to lay my eggs. My ancestors have been around for over 100 million years. Although I survived the Age of the Dinosaur, my species of sea turtle is currently under threat of extinction.
Overdeveloped coastlines have reduced my natural nesting habitats. Poachers capture us for eggs, meat, leather, and our shells. Fishermen often capture us in their fishing and shrimp nets. There is a lot to be done, so I need your help!
We can meet on the beach every two years when I come to nest. I return to the same spot every few years, but if you want me to keep in touch while I'm gone, you can place a tag on me. You can either attach a metal tag to my flipper or inject a coded wire magnetic tag directly into the muscle of my upper flipper. Or you can also inject a Passive Integrated Transponder. Don't worry, these don't hurt. When I am recaptured, you can discover the distance I traveled and how much I've grown.
If you want to keep a better eye on me, you can attach a satellite transmitter to my back. It's pretty easy to do. First, you place an outline of putty on the flattest part of my back shell. Then, you fill it in with turtle-safe epoxy glue, attach the transmitter in the square, and secure its position with the putty. Once I leave, you can watch me go! You'll learn all about my migratory patterns and how you and your friends can protect my habitat. But the batteries in this transmitter will run out in a year, so don't worry if you lose track of me for a while. You know I'll be back soon.
By getting to know me, you can learn so much about Earth's environment. And I don't even have to be potty trained! Are you game?
Sincerely,
Loggerhead
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