Global Partners Care

We are taking action to make people aware that interesting animals like terrapins need our help to survive. We want them to know that young hands can make a difference. Our exchanges with international keypals have helped us discover we have lot in common. Our keypals in the Birkdale South State School, Australia are concerned about koalas getting hurt when they cross the roads. They wanted to know why terrapins cross our roads. Our keypals in Lahainaluna H.S., Hawaii told us about the hawksbill turtles crossing roads along their beaches. They told us about Green Turtles being raised in their marine research centers.

Koala Speed Zones are used throughout the Redlands on our major roads where the speed of vehicles is reduced from 80 km per hour to 60 km per hour between August and December from 7.00 pm to 5.00 am. This time frame is used because that time of year is their breeding season and of course they are active at night. There are many koalas in the Redlands so we have to slow down for their safety during these months, because the koalas are more likely to be active and in search of a mate. The Koala Speed Zones first appeared in the Redland Shire on selected roads which have a high koala death rate. The signs contain two speed limits one for normal use and the lower speed for use between August and December. Department of Environment and Heritage records were used to identify these roads. The loss of habitat is the greatest threat to koala’s but the second greatest threat is traffic, there is an estimated number of about 3000 koalas in the Redlands and about 350 koalas are killed by cars every year. People in the Redlands are encouraged to plant koala food gum trees in their gardens to provide food corridors. Koalas are often found in local backyards. Information and research by Julia

Every year the Koala Action Group and the Council hold a phone-in-survey. They ask everyone in the shire to report the time of day and the location of any koala they see. This survey helps identify areas for tree planting and can be used when the Council makes decisions about land use in the shire. Information by Julia, Nicola, Luke and Nathan. Mrs. Liz Crocos, teacher at Birkdale South State School,QSL

Email from Lahaina,Hawaii

Rudy Reed rreed@aloha.net To: jordanrd@yahoo.com Subject: Diamond Back Terrapins
Aloha from Maui: I have been reading about your various efforts and wonderful achievements in the preservation of the terrapins. This has been of great interest to me since I too was once a resident of the South Jersey Seashore area. I remember many who were not able to make the crossing across the road dividing their habitats in the meadow land. Pollution of the waters and over development of land also added to the demise of many of them.
Although I live here, we too have similar problems. I am sure you are aware that sadly there are perhaps more endangered species in Hawaii than in any other state. The Hawaiian Hawksbill Turtle is one of them. They are protected by law, however there are some mindless people who occasionally hunt them for their meat and precious shell. When they are caught they are on the front page of the local news papers. From time to time we have an occasional turtle come ashore to lay her eggs. Again, there are times they too are killed when drivers run over them since most of the roads are close to the open beaches. I do commend you and you students for your efforts in this conservation.With much continued success.
Mr. Rudy Reed/ Teacher Lahainaluna High School P.S. Please forward this message to your students

Six threatened green sea turtles released off Maalaea

MAALAEA — Six green sea turtles, raised at the Maui Ocean Center for the past four years under a recovery program sponsored by Sea Life Park on Oahu, were released to the ocean off Maalaea Wednesday. The one male and five female turtles had been turned over to the Maui aquarium as hatchlings to be raised until they could be released. Two had radio transmitters attached to allow tracking by a crew of Ocean Center volunteers as the animals make the transition to the open ocean. “After a few days, the turtles will select a place in the ocean that will be their home, and it would be a big surprise if they wandered very far from the place,” he said. “Turtles are creatures of habit.” The turtles were raised at the Ocean Center as part of Sea Life Park’s Green Sea Turtle Educational Loan Program. It allowed the Maui facility to display the animals as they grew until they were judged mature enough to thrive in the ocean on their own. Green sea turtles are considered a threatened species. They are commonly found around the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, which are the turtles’ primary nesting grounds. With the release, the Maui Ocean Center should receive a new set of hatchlings to raise. The new hatchlings will be raised at the center for two to four years until it’s their turn to go free.
http://www.maui.net/~mauinews/lnews5d.htm

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