Learning

Turtles don’t eat litter!

by Darby Murphy | Apr 8, 2009

Conflict, Collision and Confrontation / Sea turtles are the sweetheart of our tropical waters. They awe tourists and represent the freedom and beauty that the Islands give to the many who flock here. But time and again, people think these tough creatures are here for their pleasure. Many people don’t read the signs and laws, or just ignore them, then piss off the turtles and their protectors.

But there is a much bigger threat to these green swimming tanks and their sea-faring buddies: marine debris. Anyone familiar with the plight of the turtles in the Marshall Islands knows that this is not some far-off issue that we can just ignore. Judging from the debris and litter found on many beaches here on Oahu, it’s a deadly problem.

Regina Woodrom Rudrud, a maritime and fisheries anthropologist at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, wants to make us aware of this horrible reality. Rudrud will focus on the seven species of sea turtle and challenges in the modern debris-filled world at the lecture Conflict, Collision and Confrontation: Sea Turtle Biology and Incompatibility with Marine Debris. Rudrud has spent the past 10 years in numerous countries studying honu, and also spends time as an independent contractor for the NOAA Fisheries Marine Turtle Research Program. So, if you want to learn from the best and continue to raise your awareness about sea turtles, this is the place to be Wednesday night.

University of Hawaii at Manoa Art Auditorium, 2535 McCarthy Mall, Wed 4/8, 6:30pm, free, [b-e-a-c-h.org], 393-2168

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