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2015 Sea Turtle Calendar Contest - Winning Photos

UPDATE: The "Save Vanishing Species" Stamp is Back!

UPDATE: Help STC Collect 500 Cell Phones for Sea Turtles

Red Tide Bloom Could Affect Florida Sea Turtles

International Coastal Clean Up Day

Dive Against Debris for Intl' Coastal Cleanup Day

Atlantis, Paradise Island Sponsors TdT for Fourth Consecutive Year

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Get your 2014 Tour de Turtles t-shirts and sunglasses online! ALL SIZES RE-STOCKED!

Click here to purchase t-shirt.

Click here to purchase glasses.

Dear Sea Turtle Friend,

There are only two weeks left in Sea Turtle Conservancy's official Tour de Turtles (TdT) race and many of our competitors are really putting those flippers to work!

While Top 2 turtles Panama Jack (sponsored by Turtle & Hughes, Inc.) and Calypso Blue III (sponsored by Atlantis) have held a comfortable lead for the majority of the race, there is a very tight race for 3rd place! Green turtle Esperanza (sponsored by Contiki & TreadRight) seemingly came out of nowhere and moved all way up to 3rd place. Could this be the greatest comeback in TdT history?! She better pace herself because Estrella, Elsa and Melba are all close on her tail!

The remaining TdT competitors rank as follows:

4th - Estrella, hawksbill, Team STC

5th - Elsa, loggerhead, Team Disney

6th - Melba, loggerhead, Team Sea Turtle License Plate

7th - Shelley, loggerhead, Team Ripley's

8th - Anna, loggerhead, Team Disney

9th - Pine Tyme, loggerhead, Team Turtle Hospital

10th - Coco, hawksbill, Team Four Seasons Nevis

11th - Sugar, hawksbill, Team Four Seasons Nevis

Loggerhead Shelley (Sponsored by Ripley's Aquariums)

The margin between turtles is becoming slimmer, especially in the People's Choice race, so make sure to visit the official TdT website at www.tourdeturtles.org to support your favorite competitor by adopting, tweeting, or making a pledge!

Current People's Choice Turtle Rankings:

1st place - Calypso Blue III

2nd place - Esperanza

3rd place (tie) - Elsa and Panama Jack

Sponsor Spotlights

Hey guys! Calypso Blue III checking in again. So far, my journey has been pretty uneventful but when you're a sea turtle that's a good thing! I have steered clear of trawl fishery nets and even convinced some fishermen in Louisiana to install Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) on their nets. I've made my way through the Gulf of Mexico and am currently south of Pensacola, Florida. I've traveled 1,550 miles so far, so let's just say 2nd place doesn't come easily. None of my journey would be possible without my great sponsors over at Atlantis, Paradise Island. For the past four years, Atlantis has sponsored turtles including my relatives Calypso Blue I and Calypso Blue II. Atlantis is involved in numerous conservation education efforts at their resort, and protects many marine species through the Atlantis Blue Project. In regards to sea turtles specifically, Atlantis has rescued over 2,000 sea turtle eggs on their beaches from natural threats and invasive species. Let's hear it for Atlantis!

Hi friends! It's your favorite sweet hawksbill Sugar dropping by again to give some sugar to my great sponsors at Four Seasons Resort Nevis! I've swam 336 miles and have been cruising around my favorite island, Nevis. Even though Nevis is small (only 36 miles), the island makes a BIG impact for sea turtle conservation. Nevis has partnered with STC for almost 10 years and uses their curriculum in order to provide an educational sea turtle camp for the resorts' younger guests and local children. From turtle walks on the beach to reading sea turtle stories, families can enjoy a wonderful experience at Nevis while learning at the same time. Wish me luck as I continue to cruise through the waters on my own island time, and maybe I'll make a stop at Nevis for a pina colada! I might even pick one up for my fellow hawksbill buddy Coco because I'm just that sweet!

Let it go, let it go, can't hold it back anymore! Oops, sorry about that, I can never seem to get that song out of my head. As I'm sure you're aware, I'm Elsa the loggerhead. As queen of the sea, I have traveled far and wide to raise awareness about plastic debris. After leaving the beautiful and pristine palace otherwise known as Disney's Vero Beach Resort, I headed straight down south to spend some time in the Florida Keys before swimming towards the northern part of Cuba. In case you lost track, that's a journey of almost 840 miles! This adventure wouldn't be possible without a helping flipper from my great friends at Disney's Wildlife Conservation Fund (DWCF). DWCF has provided support for 45 different species across the globe and continues to study threats to sea turtles through hands-on research. They also teach thousands of people about the dangers of plastic debris and inspire others to make a difference. Thanks for always being there, friends!

Round-up of Recent Tour de Turtles News Articles

"Call It A Comeback!" via TreadRight Foundation Blog

"Brevard Racers in Tour de Turtles lag behind pace" via Florida Today

"Wildlife Wednesday: Baby Sea Turtles Hatch from Anna & Elsa's Nests!" via Disney Parks Blog

"Sea Turtle Conservation in Nevis" via British Airways Highlife

Tour de Turtles | Disney's Vero Beach Resort | Disney Parks

Win a VIP Sea Turtle Experience for the 2015 Tour de Turtles!

New this year! By adopting a turtle at the $100 or above level or fulfilling a

pledge of $100 or more, you could win VIP access for two (2) at the Melbourne Beach, FL Tour de Turtles Kick-Off Social on August 1, 2015 and the Sea Turtle Release on August 2, 2015, plus two (2) Tour de Turtles t-Shirts! Winner will be selected on November 5, 2014 in a random drawing from among all eligible entries received. Winner must be 18 years or older, guest should be at least 5 years old.

Click here to read the official Contest Rules.

Feedback

Do you have questions or comments? Your opinion matters to us. We would love to hear from you! You can reach me at lexie@conserveturtles.org or by calling 352-373-6441. We hope you enjoyed this edition of Sea Turtle Talk. Thank you for reading!

Sincerely,

Lexie Beach

Communications Coordinator