The Houston Zoo hosted a very special Sea Turtle conservation and awareness event in February 2008 and February 2009 with over 200 participants in attendance at each event. 

There are 5 species of sea turtles inhabiting the Gulf of Mexico, all of which are considered to be either threatened or endangered:

Some of the threats these sea turtles face in the Gulf are drowning in shrimp nets, getting caught in hook and line, vehicle traffic, development of beaches, ocean and light pollution. Sea Turtle populations are slowly recovering thanks to the collaborative effort of the scientific community, grass roots organizations and many dedicated people. Their future survival is dependant on these partnerships, along with education, awareness and important research initiatives. Please join the Houston Zoo for a sea turtle restoration symposium with a line up of informative lectures given by the regions most renowned sea turtle experts aimed to educate the public on these conservation efforts.

Speakers will also address the affect that Hurricane Ike had on Galveston and Bolivar beaches, wiping out critical nesting area for the worlds most endangered sea turtle- the Kemp’s Ridley. Ike has caused severe erosion in these areas, washing away dunes and sand which is where these sea turtles lay their eggs.  Kemps ridley nest numbers on the upper Texas Coast have increased every year since 2003 reaching an all time high of 16 last year. Sadly, that nesting territory is now gone. More, now than ever, it is the upmost importance that when nesting season comes around next spring we have trained patrollers scouring beaches.
 

This is an excellent opportunity for students, teachers and all to learn more about these magnificent sea turtles and how you can get involved locally in sea turtle conservation! More specifically, focus will be on the Kemps ridley, the smallest and one of the most critically endangered of all sea turtles, its history, recovery, and outlook for the future in the Gulf of Mexico. There will be turtle tracker training offered in the afternoon for interested volunteers and a local sea turtle organization booth with patrol T-shirts, membership information and more! The registration fee for this symposium is $5, with all proceeds going to support STRP (Sea Turtle Restoration Project) and HEART (Help Endangered Animals, Ridley Turtles). Don’t miss it! List of speakers and lecture topics coming soon.

On February 28th the Houston Zoo will also host the C-STEM Sea Turtle Robotics Challenge in conjunction with Sea Turtle Saturday. CSTEM supports and advocates for project-based learning experiences for children. In an effort to assist with closing achievement gaps, CSTEM has supported local school participation targeting primarily underrepresented student populations. In the Sea Turtle Robotics Challenge, every child is an artist and an engineer. Come cheer on these children and their sea turtle robots in the afternoon after the morning presentation session of Sea Turtle Saturday! To learn more about the C-STEM program click here.

The Sea Turtle Restoration Project (STRP) works to protect sea turtle populations around the world using a multi-faceted approach which includes grassroots action, muti-media campaigns, hands-on conservation projects, environmental action and litigation. HEART (Help Endangered Animals-Ridley Turtles) was organized in 1982 to save the Kemp’s ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempi) from extinction by educating the public and supporting conservation laws that protect sea turtles. HEART merged with the Sea Turtle Restoration project in August of 2002 and serves as an educational referral source for teachers and students seeking information about the Kemp’s ridleys and all sea turtles.