might interest some of you...
> Begin forwarded message:
>
> From: "The Explorers Club" <reservati...@explorers.org>
> Subject: "World Turtle Day" - Mon, May 24 at 7:00 pm ET
> Date: May 21, 2021 at 12:30:03 PM PDT
> To: "m...@seiden.com" <m...@seiden.com>
> Reply-To: reservati...@explorers.org
>
>
>
>
> World Turtle Day
>
>
> This program will celebrate World Turtle Day, a day to commemorate the
> existence of an incredible diversity of both terrestrial and marine turtle
> species and an opportunity to draw attention to threats facing their
> survival. Although many species have come and gone since their first
> appearance in the fossil record 300 million years ago, there are currently
> approximately 356 turtle species on planet Earth. Unfortunately, about 40% of
> these species are threatened or endangered with extinction. There are,
> however, actions we can take to help reverse these declining trends and many
> people around the world are dedicating their lives to protecting our
> incredible shelled diversity!
>
> Our special guests will share information about the turtle species that they
> study and the lifelong journeys that they are on to protect them. These
> conservationists are genuine and dedicated spirits, and a testament to what
> changes #ForNature can result when you combine passion for wildlife and a
> determination to make a difference.
>
> Streaming live on explorers.org
> <https://eblast.explorers.org/t/y-l-ojjjddd-iyqjydjkr-r/>, our YouTube
> Channel <https://eblast.explorers.org/t/y-l-ojjjddd-iyqjydjkr-y/>, and our
> Facebook Live <https://eblast.explorers.org/t/y-l-ojjjddd-iyqjydjkr-j/>! -
> Monday, May 24 at 7:00 pm ET
>
> You’ll have the opportunity to hear from a wide array of these turtle
> conservationists including:
>
> Dr. Supraja Dharini is a committed sea turtle conservationist along the
> Indian east coast since 2002 and an EC50 Honoree. She is exemplary for her
> multi-disciplinary approach. She works with a team of 363 ‘Sea Turtle
> Protection Force’ (STPF) members from 222 marginalized artisanal fishing
> villages. Together, under Dr. Dharinis guidance, they cover over 700 kms
> along Tamil Nadu, Andhra, and Odisha coasts and have protected tens of
> thousands of olive ridley nests in-situ and also through purpose built
> hatcheries. Their work and dedication to protecting and preserving life, has
> resulted in the safe release of millions of hatchlings to the sea. STPF
> members educate other fishers in their villages about the importance of
> conserving turtles, retrieving ghost nets, reducing pollution, and caring
> more for their ocean environment in general.
>
>
> Shahriar Caesar Rahman is a co-founder and the CEO of Creative Conservation
> Alliance, a Bangladesh based conservation organization dedicated to the
> ecological and cultural conservation of Bangladesh’s last wild places. He is
> also a National Geographic Explorer and serves as a Regional Vice Chair-South
> Asia of IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group. The
> Creative Conservation Alliance is a major force for research and Conservation
> of Bangladesh’s threatened tortoises and turtles. The CCA team, led by
> Caesar, continues to empower indigenous hunters as parabiologists. Caesar and
> his work with the Creative Conservation Alliance has previously had the
> privilege of receiving both the Whitley Award and Future for Nature Award and
> is now honored to accept the New Explorer Award. He will be sharing his work
> with the Asian Giant Tortoise (Manouria emys phayrei) and Black Softshell
> Turtles (Nilssonia nigricans).
>
>
> Scott Trageser is a conservation biologist and photographer who has dedicated
> his life to protecting species overlooked by others. Interests in
> herpetology, photography, and steaming jungles lead Scott to Bangladesh where
> he co-founded and serves as Director for the Creative Conservation Alliance.
> He also endeavors to provide resources and support to similar organizations
> as the Executive Director and President of The Biodiversity Group, a US-based
> non-profit. His award-winning works have gained recognition from the
> Explorer’s Club, International League of Conservation Photographers, Royal
> Geographical Society, IUCN Species Specialist Commission, National
> Geographic, BBC, and more. He is a frequent speaker on conservation and
> photography topics and has authored and contributed to numerous books,
> articles, and peer-reviewed journals. There is little he won’t do in his
> quest to save the world’s most threatened species.
>
>
> Fabien Cousteau is an Aquanaut, Oceanographic Explorer, Environmental
> Advocate and Founder of Fabien Cousteau Ocean Learning Center (FCOLC). Early
> in 2016 he founded the FCOLC to fulfill his dream of creating a vehicle to
> make a positive change in the world. Currently he is working on multiple
> projects and dedicates much of his time to Proteus™, the International Space
> Station of the Ocean and the initiatives of his non-profit, the FCOLC
> including: Coral Reef Resilience Program, Beach Clean Ups, Sea Turtle
> Restoration and Ocean Discovery Educational Curriculum Program. Fabien is
> Chairman of the Board for Proteus Ocean Group (POG), an Explorers Club Member
> and a WWF Ocean Witness. He is also a Board Member of River Keepers and the
> Sea Keepers Science Council and has been recently named Honorary Advisor to
> the NGO Committee Sustainable Development-NY. He has received several awards
> including the United Nations NEXUS Global Goals Award for Excellence and
> Leadership, David Attenborough Excellence in Filmmaking Award, Golden Eagle
> Award, Beneath The Sea Diver of The Year, World Team “Pioneer For The Planet”
> Award, Peter Benchley Lifetime Award and is the ISS (International Super
> Yatch Society) Awards Judge and creator of the ISS Fabien Cousteau BLUE Award.
>
>
> Dr. Pamela Fletcher has 30 years of experience working in marine resource
> management in New England, Florida, Central American and the Caribbean.
> Fletcher initiated marine conservation activities in Nicaragua during her
> Fulbright Scholar Program and continues to promote community engagement and
> capacity building in marine science and outreach. Since 2005, she has led and
> collaborated on numerous field studies consisting of mangrove restoration and
> monitoring, sea turtle conservation, coral reef monitoring, and marine
> resources management planning. Pamela spends time volunteering with
> non-profit organizations working in environmental restoration and
> conservation in the Caribbean, Florida and Central America.
>
>
> Brian D. Horne completed his Ph.D. at Ohio University in 2006 on the
> developmental biology of Neotropical freshwater turtles in Meso-America. Dr.
> Horne was then a postdoctoral fellow (2006-2011) at the San Diego Zoo
> Institute for Conservation Research investigating endangered freshwater
> turtles and tortoises in South and Southeast Asia. As a lifelong turtle
> biologist, Dr. Horne has conducted field research on six continents and has
> live abroad in Mexico and India. As a past co-chair of the IUCN Tortoise and
> Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group, he twice co-authored the report on the
> Top 25 Most Endangered Freshwater Turtles and Tortoises (2011 and 2018). He
> was also the editor for the book "Conservation of Asian Tortoises and
> Freshwater Turtles: Setting Priorities for Next Ten Years" in 2012.
> Additionally, Dr. Horne op-ed, "Why don't we weep for turtles?" published by
> the New York Daily News in May of 2019 for World Turtle Day has been read
> over 3 million times. Dr. Horne currently serves as the Wildlife Conservation
> Society's (WCS) coordinator for freshwater turtle and tortoise conservation
> and oversees their recovery projects for the world's most endangered
> chelonians across the globe.
>
>
> The evening will be moderated by Callie Veelenturf, a marine conservation
> biologist who works to span the space between science and policy to affect
> tangible change for Nature. Sea turtle research has led her to various
> countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, and West Africa. She is the
> Founder and Executive Director of The Leatherback Project, an organization
> dedicated to conserving the leatherback sea turtle through research,
> education, and advocacy initiatives aimed primarily at mitigating fisheries
> bycatch. Callie is a National Geographic Explorer and 2020 Early Career
> Leader, a United Nations Youth Representative for The Explorer Club, and a
> Young Professional with the United Nations Harmony with Nature Programme. In
> 2020, Callie founded Rights for Nature, an international initiative dedicated
> to empowering everyday citizens, scientists, and governments alike to
> advocate for the Rights of Nature to exist, persist and regenerate her vital
> cycles.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Unsubscribe <https://eblast.explorers.org/t/y-u-ojjjddd-iyqjydjkr-t/>
>
