September 18, 2005
Turtles Taking Over as the Kings of the Sea
By JANE MARGOLIES
FORGET swimming with dolphins. The next big thing might just be sea turtles.
These mysterious dinosaur-era creatures - which can live 80 years, swim thousands of miles from the beaches where they were born, and yet, somehow, manage to return to the same spots to lay their own eggs - are an increasing object of fascination for many Americans. And the travel industry has taken notice. Tour operators offer turtle-watching expeditions. Hotels brag on their Web sites about the turtles that come onto their beaches, and they promote discounts in nesting season, steer guests to nighttime walks and hatchling releases, not to mention fill gift shops with turtle-emblazoned towels and even serve turtle-shaped desserts.
Natural Habitat, a Boulder, Colo., tour operator that organizes expeditions to see Olive Ridley turtles in southern Mexico, says interest has jumped 30 percent since it began offering the trips five years ago. Nighttime walks along Florida's Atlantic coast, which are conducted by trained guides authorized by the state Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, attracted 95,415 people over the last 11 years and are booked weeks in advance....
FULL STORY http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/18/travel/18turtles.html
