RETURN FROM THE AMAZON (AND SAVING A TURTLE)

Today Mission 31 team members Matt and Brian returned from the Amazon, where they were shooting a continuing project with Fabien Cousteau's sister Celine. You can see photos, showing how the Amazon has changed during the lifetimes of three Cousteau generations, in the ebook Return from the Amazon available in the iTunes Store. Matt and Brian told us the Amazon was scorching hot, over 105 degrees F. The 80-degree weather here in sunny Florida must now feel like a cool spring day! The intrepid explorers also shared stories of the bugs and difficulty in traveling around the Amazon. What an experience! I can't wait to hear more over dinner. 

Meanwhile, I continue preparing Mission 31 science research from topside. Today we sent out plankton nets for a research project designed by Northeastern graduate student Amanda Dwyer. I'm also counting down till  saturation -- 7 more days! 

Billy found me working late yesterday, preparing experiments for Mission 31. In front of me are tubes that will store zooplankton for Amanda Dwyer, a researcher at Northeastern University.

The Turtle Hospital 

Last Friday I had the opportunity to visit the Turtle Hospital with production team member Billy Snook. I was completely blown away at the incredible organization. It pained me to see how turtles have suffered from human causes, even indirectly. For example, sea grass absorbs fertilizers that run off into the ocean that turtles eats. The chemical fertilizers can develop tumors called fibropapilloma that will slowly and painfully kill the turtle. If the fertilizers in our crops do that to turtles, what are they doing to us?

I posted this story to my Instagram. Thankfully the turtle made it into the hospital's care and is on the road to recovery.

             

This photo shows one of the recovered turtles; without the care of the Turtle Hospital this turtle would have died from human causes. Let's be optimistic! 

Turtles unfortunately suffer from a variety of human impacts. The turtle hospital helps by removing tumors, helping a turtle eat again, and more, so a turtle can have a second chance in the wild after a human-caused incident.

This turtle developed fibropapilloma tumors from fertilizers that ran-off into the sea grass it eats. If fertilizers are doing this to turtles, what are they doing to us?

I could hardly believe, all these debris the hospital found inside a single turtle; the turtle can't digest the debris, not only giving it stomach cramps, but also causing gas to form in it's digestive track. The gas ruins the turtle's buoyancy, causing it to float, unable to dive for food. The turtle hospital can't remove all the plastic from a living turtle, but the can help by adding weights to a turtle's shell so it at least don't starve to death on the surface.

On the ride home I had a lot to think about. How can we help marine creatures from their impending doom? We take them for granted, but all the creatures help keep the ocean ecosystem in a healthy balance, and the ocean is our live support system. We need more turtle hospitals! And less reasons for turtles to need to go to the hospital from human impacts!

If you extra specially care about sea turtles, check out The Turtle Hospital (maybe even call or donate!). There's also a fantastic non-profit called the Sea Turtle Conservancy; I follow them on Facebook to stay up-to-date on all their work (and see pictures of sea turtles on my news feed.)

A DIVING DRONE

I forgot to tell this story. On Spalshdown Day, the Mission 31 production team smartly deployed quadcopters to capture aerial footage of the excitement. Well, there was some problem with one of the copters (never really understood what happened), and it fell into the ocean. Luckily, one of the Navy divers, Carter, without missing a beat, dove in and rescued the copter on a breath-hold dive to 10m. Amazing! Sometimes robots need the Navy to rescue them too. 

Mission 31 video editor Toby Wallwork in front of one of the flying quadcopters. Credit to Mission 31.

There's also blog posts:  "Shellebrate" -- It's World Turtle Day! and Sea Life Just Fish? Think Polar Bears Too!