International Boost For Sea Turtle Project
A fundraising appeal for a sea turtle rescue centre launched by Birmingham Sea Life Centre and its sister attractions across Europe has won the backing of one of the world’s biggest conservation support organisations.
Global Vision International, formed in 1998, sends over 2,000 volunteers away every year to work on aid-reliant projects worldwide.
After learning of the plans for a new loggerhead turtle rescue and wildlife information centre on the Greek island of Zakynthos, GVI has pledged its support.
“This is fantastic news as it means the centre will have additional support from volunteers to provide the required care for any injured turtles it looks after,” said Birmingham Sea Life aquarist Amy Morton.
Sea Life visitors have already donated over 70,000 Euros towards the new facility and the appeal will continue throughout 2007.
“Zakynthos hosts 80-per-cent of the nests of Mediterranean loggerhead sea turtles and adults gathering in the spring to mate are vulnerable to injury from pleasure craft and fishing activity,” said Amy.
“At present any casualties face a long and potentially fatal journey to the only existing Greek rescue centre in Athens.”
The new centre will be operated by island-based conservation group Earth, Sea & Sky whose founder Yannis Vardakastinis was instrumental in getting two badly disabled turtles re-located from Athens to the Sea Life centre in Scarborough six years ago.
When Yannis conceived the idea of building a much-needed rescue centre in the heart of Zakynthos’s National Marine Park, he once again turned to the Sea Life network for help.
Thanks to the success of fundraising so far work on the new facility looks set to start this coming Autumn, and it should be ready to accept its first patients early in 2008.
Global Vision International has offices in the UK, USA and Australia and draws its volunteer workers from all over the world.
Through its alliance with over 150 project partners in over 30 countries in enables volunteers to help with environmental research, conservation and community development.
Its partners include the South African National Parks Board, Diane Fossey Gorilla Fund, Jane Goodall Institute and Kenyan Wildlife Service, among others.
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