Disney To Sponsor Turtles in Marathon

Guests at Disney's Vero Beach Resort, a Disney property some two hours from Walt Disney World, will be cheering on two loggerhead sea turtles in the Turtles Migration Marathon. On July 28, Peach and Pearl will make a return to the Atlantic Ocean and join twelve other turtles in the annual "Tours de Turtles: A Sea Migration Marathon."

The fourteen turtles will start the "race" at different locations and travel from their nesting sites to feeding areas in the Atlantic while their progress is tracked by researchers utilizing satellite technology. This tracking of the loggerheads will also pick up "vital information" that will allow "conservationists and governing agencies make informed decisions about conservation methods and policies." The turtle logging in the furthest distance swam will be declared the winner.

In addition, each turtle participating in the race will "represent a cause or threat" to loggerhead survival. Peach will be swimming to raise awareness of light pollution in which other man-made light sources may interfere with moonlight and therefore hinder a turtle hatchling's progress to the sea. Pearl's part in the race is to call attention to "entanglement effects caused by pollution and fishing lines and nets."

Anne Savage, Conservation Director of Walt Disney World Programs, has this to say about the Turtles Migration Marathon:

The marathon is important on the larger level because the CCC shares information with the National Marine Fishery Services which controls where people fish. This will help determine where turtles swim in relation to where boats are, and to use that information to regulate the amount of time that people stay in those areas keeping the turtles out of danger.

Pearl is entering the race with sponsorship from by the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund and Disney's Friends for Change while Peach is sponsored by Disney's Animal Programs and Disney's Vero Beach Resort.

Not going to be at the Vero Beach resort on the 28th? You can still watch the action online and keep track of Peach, Pearl and the rest of the turtles' progress at www.tourdeturtles.org.

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