Voyage of the turtle : in pursuit of the Earth's last dinosaur

The story of an ancient sea turtle and what its survival says about our future, from the award-winning writer and naturalist Though nature is indifferent to the struggles of her creatures, the human effect on them is often premeditated. The distressing decline of sea turtles in Pacific waters and their surprising recovery in the Atlantic illuminate what can go both wrong and right from our interventions, and teach us the lessons that can be applied to restore health to the world's oceans and its creatures. As Carl Safina's compelling natural history adventure makes clear, the fate of the astonishing leatherback turtle, whose ancestry can be traced back 125 million years, is in our hands. Writing with verve and color, Safina describes how he and his colleagues track giant pelagic turtles across the world's oceans and onto remote beaches of every continent. As scientists apply lessons learned in the Atlantic and Caribbean to other endangered seas, Safina follows leatherback migrations, including a thrilling journey from Monterey, California, to nesting grounds on the most remote beaches of Papua, New Guinea. The only surviving species of its genus, family, and suborder, the leatherback is an evolutionary marvel: a "reptile" that behaves like a warm-blooded dinosaur, an ocean animal able to withstand colder water than most fishes and dive deeper than any whale. In his peerless prose, Safina captures the delicate interaction between these gentle giants and the humans who are finally playing a significant role in their survival. The Story Of An Ancient Sea Turtle And What Its Survival Says About Our Future. The Decline Of Sea Turtles In Pacific Waters And Their Surprising Recovery In The Atlantic Illuminate What Can Go Both Wrong And Right From Human Interventions, And Teach Us Lessons That Can Be Applied To Restore Health To The World's Oceans. The Only Surviving Species Of Its Suborder, The Leatherback Is An Evolutionary Marvel: A Reptile Whose Ancestry Can Be Traced Back 125 Million Years, That Behaves Like A Warm-blooded Dinosaur, An Ocean Animal Able To Withstand Colder Water Than Most Fishes And Dive Deeper Than Any Whale. As Naturalist Safina Makes Clear, The Fate Of The Leatherback Is In Our Hands. As Scientists Apply Lessons Learned In The Atlantic And Caribbean To Other Endangered Seas, Safina Follows Leatherback Migrations, Including A Journey From Monterey, California, To Nesting Grounds On The Most Remote Beaches Of Papua New Guinea.--from Publisher Description. Pt. I. Atlantic -- Angels Of Eden -- Trinidad -- Weight Of The World -- Moonlight In The Sunshine State -- Florida -- Leatherbacks And Cannonballs -- South Carolina -- On The Edge -- Georges Bank -- Animal Magnetism -- Northeast Of Summer -- Cape Breton Island -- Pt. Ii Between Oceans -- The View From Turtle Island -- Pt. Iii Pacific -- The Great Beach -- Costa Rica -- Flying Turtles -- Mexico -- Baja -- The Other Grand Canyon -- Monterey Bay -- Jamursba Belimbings -- New Guinea 317 -- Chant For The Enchanted -- Appendix A Few Places To See Nesting Sea Turtles. Carl Safina. A John Macrae Book. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [352]-367) And Index. A study of the leatherback turtle details the distressing decline of sea turtles in the Pacific, as well as their remarkable recovery in the Atlantic to illuminate how human intervention can both harm and preserve the natural world There exists a presence in the ocean, seldom glimpsed in waking hours, best envisioned in your dreams.