“Turtles In Trouble”, An Animated Training DVD Has Been Produced by
Medasset (1987 Laureate) and the Marine Conservation Society

“Turtles in Trouble”
ANNOUNCEMENT

A short animated training DVD for UK tour representatives and another for tourists in the Mediterranean has been produced by the Marine Conservation Society (MCS UK) with MEDASSET's cooperation. The DVD was funded by the Travel Foundation and produced by Juniper Blue animators. The Travel Foundation is distributing the DVD at Mediterranean holiday destinations through dedicated workshops to teach tour reps about sea turtle-friendly actions they and their customers can take to mitigate tourism impacts on turtles and nesting beaches in the Mediterranean. “Turtles in Trouble” can be viewed at http://www.mcsuk.org/marineworld/turtles/turtles+and+tourism.

PRESS RELEASE
UK HOLIDAYMAKERS THREATEN ENDANGERED MARINE TURTLES – BUT THEY CAN HELP!
As millions of UK holidaymakers prepare to visit the Mediterranean, endangered marine turtles in Greece, Crete, Cyprus and Turkey face an uncertain future as they are once again threatened with disturbance, mutilation and even death as a result of insensitive tourism development and practice. In response, the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) has teamed up with the Travel Foundation and TV presenter Kate Humble to urge UK tourists to adopt more turtle-friendly behaviour while on holiday through a new online animation called Turtles in Trouble.

Narrated by Kate Humble, Turtles in Trouble can be viewed at www.mcsuk.org. The cartoon’s light-hearted approach has a very serious message – UK tourists have a key role to play in the protection of endangered marine turtle populations at popular Mediterranean holiday destinations.

“Tourism in the Mediterranean threatens the marine turtles nesting there in a number of ways and The Travel Foundation is working with the tourism industry to try and reduce these threats as much as possible” said David Weston from the Travel Foundation, “But UK tourists have a huge role to play by being more environmentally responsible when on holiday and we think Turtles in Trouble will help people understand that they can make a real difference.”

Turtles have been swimming the world’s oceans for 110 million years, but 6 of the remaining 7 marine turtle species are now listed as endangered, facing a variety of threats such as over-exploitation and accidental entanglement in fishing gear. Loggerhead and green turtles migrate across the Mediterranean to their traditional sandy nesting beaches at some popular holiday destinations in the early summer, just as UK tourists start to arrive. The major threats to Mediterranean turtle populations include marine litter, boat traffic and the disturbance and destruction of traditional nesting beaches through insensitive tourism development.

“Tourism development is posing serious problems to marine turtle populations at popular holiday destinations in the Mediterranean. Marine litter discarded by tourists and careless boat use can be deadly for turtles, and night time activity, lights and noise on the turtle nesting beaches will frighten female turtles back to the sea,” said Peter Richardson, MCS Species Policy Officer, “In addition, when baby turtles emerge from the nest at night they are extremely sensitive to light, and are attracted to street lights and hotel lights behind nesting beaches. They are led inland across roads and into gardens and are easy pickings for predators such as cats, dogs and rats. If they can’t get to the sea before sunrise they are likely to die in the heat of the sun.”

Mediterranean turtle conservation group MEDASSET, who assisted with the production of the film, report that on the Greek island of Zakynthos, a popular holiday destination and home to the Mediterranean’s largest nesting colony of endangered loggerhead turtles, hotels, discos, bars and bars have been built illegally behind some of the most important nesting beaches. They also report that a mismanaged rubbish tip receiving waste from the local hotels is polluting Laganas Bay, the island’s turtle nesting hotspot. Another local group ARCHELON report that the 957 turtle nests occurring on Zakynthos beaches in 2006 is well below the annual average, with their 2006 report showing a largely downward trend in the annual number of nests since 1999. In addition, last year there were many reports from Zakynthos of turtles killed or injured by the propellers of boat traffic used close to the nesting beaches. Such injuries are so common that ARCHELON have established a dedicated turtle rescue centre, and last year collected 4 turtle victims in Zakynthos and observed many other major and minor propeller injuries on nesting female turtles. Similar situations occur at other Mediterranean destinations with nesting turtles. In Crete, the light pollution from dense tourism development behind Hania and Rethymno nesting beaches has led to ARCHELON volunteers having to erect tunnels from the turtle nests to the sea to prevent the emerging hatchling turtles from being attracted to the electric lights.

Turtles in Trouble advises tourists how they can help by making a few small changes to their behaviour while on holiday to prevent injury or disturbance to the turtles, including:
· avoidance of speedboat and jet ski use where turtles are in the water;
· ensuring no light shines on to nesting beaches at night when the female turtles are nesting and the baby turtles are emerging from the nests;
· keeping beach furniture close to the sea and away from the nesting areas at the back of the beach;
· removing beach furniture and other obstacles from the beach before nightfall during the turtle breeding season;
· responsible disposal of litter.

“I hope this spellbinding animation will leave the lasting impression that by doing our bit on holiday we can make a difference to the lives of these beautiful but endangered animals.” said Kate Humble, a passionate conservationist who volunteered her time in the production of the film. ENDS

Turtles in Trouble can be viewed at www.mcsuk.org. For further information, photographs and a still from the cartoon contact:
Peter Richardson, Species Policy Officer, Marine Conservation Society (MCS) Tel: 01989 566017, 07793 118383 E-mail: peter@mcsuk.org www.mcsuk.org
Elan Bradley, Programmes Officer, The Travel Foundation, CREATE Centre, Smeaton Road, Bristol, BS1 6XN. Tel: +44 (0) 117 927 3049, E-mail: elan.bradley@thetravelfoundation.org.uk www.thetravelfoundation.org.uk

Editor’s notes:
The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) is the UK charity dedicated to the protection of our seas, shores and wildlife. MCS campaigns for clean seas and beaches, sustainable fisheries, protection of marine life and their habitats, and the sensitive use of our marine resources for future generations. Through education, community involvement and collaboration, MCS raises awareness of the many threats that face our seas and promotes individual, industry and government action to protect the marine environment. MCS provides information and guidance on many aspects of marine conservation and produces the annual Good Beach Guide (www.goodbeachguide.co.uk), the Good Fish Guide and www.fishonline.org on sustainable seafood, as well as promoting public participation in volunteer projects and surveys such as Beachwatch, Adopt-a-Beach and Basking Shark Watch.www.mcsuk.org

The Travel Foundation develops solutions to help protect holiday destinations – helping tourism to make a positive contribution. It works in partnership with the UK tourism industry to encourage widespread action at favourite destinations across the world. For more information see www.thetravelfoundation.org.uk

Journalist and broadcaster Kate Humble is a keen diver, traveller and conservationist and gladly assisted in the production of the film. Kate has presented The Holiday Programme, Rough Science, Animal Park, Abyss Live, Springwatch, Autumnwatch and Seawatch. Kate has also written for various publications including The Independent, The Daily Telegraph and Marie Claire. The film was produced by Juniper Blue, see www.juniperblue.com

Important Mediterranean turtle nesting beaches populations are found at the following holiday destinations popular with UK tourists:
Zakynthos, Greece – loggerheads (including Sekania, one of the world’s most densely nested turtle beaches)
Kefalonia, Greece – loggerheads
Hania, Rethymno & Messara Bay, Crete – loggerheads
Dalyan, Sarigerme, Ekincik & Fethiye, Turkey - loggerheads
Kizilot & Belek, Turkey – loggerhead and green turtles
Cyprus – loggerhead & green turtles

MEDASSET (Mediterranean Association to Save the Sea Turtles) was founded in 1988 and is an international charity working for the study and conservation of sea turtles and their habitats throughout the Mediterranean, through scientific research, environmental education, political lobbying and raising public awareness. MEDASSET is the only organisation working exclusively on the conservation of sea turtles throughout the Mediterranean Sea. For more information see www.medasset.org .

ARCHELON (Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece) protects marine turtles and their habitats in Greece through monitoring and research, developing and implementing management plans, habitat restoration, raising public awareness and rehabilitating sick and injured turtles. For more information see www.archelon.gr

The World Conservation Union (IUCN) now lists hawksbill, Kemp’s ridley and leatherback turtles as critically endangered and green, loggerhead and olive ridley turtles as endangered. The Australian flatback turtle is listed as data deficient, for more information see http://www.iucnredlist.org/


MEDASSET/UK
c/o 24 Park Towers, 2 Brick St.,
London W1J 7DD, UK.
Tel./Fax: (020) 76290654
E-mail: medasset@medasset.org
www.euroturtle.org
www.medasset.org

MEDASSET/GR
1C Licavitou St., 106 72, Athens, Greece
Tel.: + 30 210 3613572, 3640389
Fax: +30 210 3613572
E-mail: medasset@medasset.gr
www.medasset.gr