Giving back
Surrendering long-forgotten SOUVENIRS and trinkets is aiding in the FIGHT to save endangered turtles.
THE RECENTLY REOPENED Australian Museum has joined forces with WWF-Australia and cruise company Royal Caribbean International in a new project aimed at saving the endangered hawksbill turtle from extinction.
The Surrender Your Shell campaign encourages people to search out old souvenirs, trinkets, hair combs, sunglasses and the like made from the distinctive dappled shells of these turtles and surrender them for research.
It is estimated that as many as nine million hawksbill turtles have been traded for their shells in the past 150 years, leaving the species close to extinction. The number of turtles in the Pacific Ocean has dropped by more than 75 per cent, with just 4800 breeding females thought to have survived.
Cutting-edge technology will be used by the museum’s Research Institute to extract DNA from returned tortoiseshell products and trace it back to the turtles’ nesting beach. A ‘Shellbank’ of data will then be used to track the illegal trade of tortoiseshell and identify turtle populations that are vulnerable, allowing WWF-Australia to implement programs, working with local governments, communities and tourism bodies, to enhance protections.
The Australian government has also thrown its weight behind the initiative, adopting a six-month amnesty from prosecution for those returning historic tortoiseshell purchases along with details of when and where they were bought.
According to Christine Madden Hof, WWF-Australia’s Marine Species program manager, “The simple act of popping something in the post can make a huge difference to an entire species. By surrendering products made from tortoiseshell such as earrings, artworks, combs, sunglasses and bracelets, you can add to our ‘ShellBank’ and help ensure the survival of this special creature.”
If you suspect you may have a historic piece of tortoiseshell, visit wwf.org.au/
surrenderyourshell to find out how to surrender it and make a difference.