"The Heartbreak Turtle Today" - Trailer for Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle Documentary

"The Heartbreak Turtle Today" tells the story of the Kemp's ridley sea turtle rise from near extinction but still remains critically endangered. Commercial shrimping and fishing continues to impact the turtles' survival. The film also examines the impact of the 2010 BP Gulf oil spill and long term consequences on the species.

Thirty years ago, a film called "The Heartbreak Turtle" alerted the world that the smallest sea turtle species would soon be extinct if drastic measures weren't taken. The number of Kemp's Ridley nesters was less than 800. Poaching at nesting beaches and drowning in shrimp trawls had taken a terrible toll on this sea turtle that nests only on Gulf of Mexico beaches.

In 1978, the United States and Mexico began working to prevent the extinction of the Kemp's ridley. The film described how the people of Mexico gave 2,000 Kemp's ridley eggs to the United States each year to incubate. The tiny hatchlings were raised for almost a year to give them a greater chance to survive when released back into the Gulf of Mexico. (This program was terminated in 1993.) Although times have changed, this small resident of the Gulf continues to need protection. Work must go on to save the Kemp's ridleys. Public education is the key to its recovery.

The Sea Turtle Restoration Project has been compiling interviews with the experts for three years thanks to funding from The Meadows Foundation of Dallas. With additional funding, we can complete and distribute the new version of "The Heartbreak Turtle." Donors making significant contributions will be listed in the credits of the completed film which will be seen all over the world. If you want to help us and leave a lasting mark in conservation history, please go to the Sea Turtle Restoration Project website. www.seaturtles.org

Executive Producer: Carole Allen
Produced by: Jim Bailey, Sunset Productions,
Production by: Fast Cut Films, Mark Susman,
Edited by: Mike Snow

Category:

Education

Tags:

• kemps ridley
• sea turtles
• gulf of mexico
• environment
• oil spill
• beach
• Texas
• Mexico