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Monday, July 12, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
PCCS Contacts
Brian Sharp, Marine Animal Entanglement Response Coordinator Leatherback Turtle Freed Thanks to Sighting by Recreational Boaters
The turtle was found in Cape Cod Bay by recreational boaters, who reported the sighting and stood by the animal until PCCS responders arrived. The turtle was heavily entangled with rope around its neck and front flippers. After assessing its entanglement and injuries, the response team released the turtle, which quickly swam away. "Boat owners are an extremely important component in the conservation of this endangered species" said Brian Sharp of the entanglement response team, "without their efforts a number of whales and turtles would not receive the help they need." Friday's entanglement was the first known leatherback turtle sighting of the season in Cape Cod Bay, however turtles have already been sighted in Buzzards Bay and Nantucket Sound. Mariners are urged to report any entanglement sightings of marine animals to the Marine Animal Entanglement Response Hotline (1-800-900-3622) or the US Coast Guard and stand by the animal at a safe distance until trained responders arrive. Leatherback turtles are the largest living reptiles in the world. Typically, those sighted in the waters of Southeastern Massachusetts range in size from four to six feet in length and can weigh from 400 to over 1,200 pounds. Leatherbacks are wide ranging animals, threatened by habitat destruction, vessel strikes, and entanglement in fishing gear and marine debris. The Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and protecting marine animals and ecosystems in the Gulf of Maine through applied research and education. PCCS turtle disentanglement activities are supported through a grant issued by Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries. | ||
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