ISLA VERDE, PUERTO RICO—The InterContinental San Juan Resort & Casino unveiled its environmental education program geared towards children ages four to 12 on World Sea Turtle Day. The new program was introduced for the resort’s newly opened Planet Trekkers Kids Club. As part of its environmental education efforts, the InterContinental San Juan adopted a leatherback sea turtle in conjunction with the nonprofit Caribbean Conservation Corporation (CCC). The leatherback sea turtle is listed by the U.S. federal government as endangered worldwide and within the United States is known to nest in southeastern Florida, Puerto Rico and St. Croix.
Each child enrolled in the full-day program at the Planet Trekkers Kids Club will receive a complimentary symbolic sea turtle adoption kit that includes a personalized adoption certificate with the picture of the InterContinental San Juan’s leatherback sea turtle among other goodies. And most importantly, the kids will be able to track her migratory patterns online via maps at home or at school for an entire year on CCC’s website: www.cccturtle.org.
Planet Trekkers at the InterContinental San Juan is more than just a resort kids club, it is a place where children will also be taught about the importance of the Earth, water, plants and animals and what endangers them and how they can be protected for the future while at the same time meeting new friends and having a fun.
All About Building Awareness
“We hope our guests of all ages will enjoy learning about these endangered species and what measures we can all take to prevent their extinction,” said Sharon Kilmartin, general manager at the InterContinental San Juan Resort & Casino. “Our resort is excited to work with the CCC to build awareness of the endangered species of sea turtles that grace the waters of Puerto Rico. It gives our guests a glimpse into the mysterious life cycles of sea turtles, which represent a special part of the natural world.”
In return, the InterContinental San Juan is making a significant financial contribution and will continue to support CCC on its ongoing efforts to study and save sea turtles across the Caribbean.
“The waters and beaches of Puerto Rico provide critical habitat for sea turtles,” said David Godfrey, CCC executive director. “We applaud the InterContinental Resort for its support of sea turtle conservation. Efforts to protect and recover sea turtle populations benefit greatly from the kind of partnership they are forming with CCC.”
Turtles Will Be ‘Followed’
The “adopted” turtles are among a select group that either have already been named or are in the process of being named and satellite tagged with transmitters for scientific research purposes. These turtles will also be participating in the Tour de Turtles: A Sea Turtle Migration Marathon starting August 1. For three months, Tour de Turtles will follow four species of sea turtles, using satellite-tracking technology, as they travel from their respective nesting sites to unknown feeding grounds, with the goal of being the first to complete the 2,620 km (1,628 mile) marathon.
With as few as one out of 1,000 hatchlings surviving to adulthood, sea turtle conservation must focus on combating human-caused threats through research and education. By tracking sea turtle migrations using satellite technology, scientists can learn more about these mysterious mariners and the routes they take. This knowledge helps researchers, conservationists and governing agencies make more informed decisions about sea turtle conservation methods and policies.
Just as with human marathons, each turtle will swim to raise awareness about a particular “cause” or threat to their survival. Utilizing interactive online maps, videos and games, Tour de Turtles will focus on the biology and conservation of sea turtles and their habitats.
Go to the InterContinental San Juan and CCC.
