Sea Turtles in Culture

Sea Turtles in Popular Culture

There are plenty of myths about sea turtles that have been passed down from one generation to the next. Since female sea turtles deposit eggs on land and then return to the water they never see their young. Many sea turtles have been seen with what appears to be tears in their eyes. The legend says that these sea turtles are so heartbroken about having to leave their young that they cry all the way back to the water.

However, scientific research has shown that they aren’t really crying. Instead, the salt water that one takes in is released from the body through ducts in their eyes. One large event to bring attention to the needs of sea turtles took place just a few weeks ago in Palm Beach, Florida. More than 4,000 people came out to celebrate Sea Turtle Conservation. This was to celebrate the 30th year of such conservation efforts being in place.

The Chinese have long thought of the sea turtle as creature that is full of wisdom. The people of Hawaii also have a strong appreciation of them. One story from their culture is that there was a sea turtle that turned into a young girl and she played on the beach with other children. Yet the children were very thirsty, and as this girl’s mother was digging a nest a water spring was there for all of them to drink from. It is also believed that explorers found Hawaii by following sea turtles.

We all know that celebrities can help to increase the awareness of anything out there. That is why a Mexican wrestler named El Hijo del Santo offered to be a part of campaigns in Mexico. He has become the prime spokesman for a conservation group called WILDCOAST which is based in both California and Mexico. Other celebrities that have joined his efforts include Mexican soccer players and super models.

One of the first movies offered about sea turtles was in 1978 called Bermuda Depths. It involved two young siblings that found a sea turtle. They wanted to keep it but knew it wasn’t fair to place it in captivity when it had its own life to live freely. They nursed the sea turtle back to health and then placed their initials on the shell of it before releasing it. Many years later as they were boating with their family, a sea turtle came by them and it was the same one as the initials were still there.

An amazing film is to be released in mid 2009 called Turtle: The Incredible Journey. This is a documentary that is geared towards younger generations. It is hopefully going to inspire them to take action for the future of sea turtles. This film shows the life of a Loggerhead Sea Turtle, her adventures, and how her world is severely impacted by the actions of humans. It is a powerful film that is sure to make anyone watching it to carefully consider their future actions.

As you can see there are many ways in which sea turtles have influenced our culture. Many of the stories mentioned here are decades old and continue to be a part of those customs. Other efforts are new but they are also effective when it comes to bringing attention and compassion to the world of sea turtles. The fact remains that everyone needs to make changes if the sea turtles are going to survive. They have been through a great deal in the past 50 years and that has resulted in their numbers dropping drastically. Hopefully the involvement of celebrities, individuals like yourself, and the film industry they will get the recognition and the protection that they deserve.