By Vanessa Rees | Program Manager
Dear Supporters,
Animal husbandry is a continuous learning-curve, there are always gaps in our knowledge that need to be filled, especially when caring for a creature that is endangered. That’s why when we are at the Thai Navy Base Turtle Head-start Program, we’re always looking for ways to improve our practices and facilities in order to keep our turtles as content as can be. In this last quarter we have focused on making sure the turtles in the centre are raised as healthy as possible in order to provide them with the best chance for future survival rereleased into the wild.
Greens for Greens
Over the course of the year, through careful observations noted during our data collection, we had come to an understanding that the turtles were in need of more vegetables in their diet. As green turtles’ transition into adulthood they change from an omnivore's diet as youngsters to a more herbivorous lifestyle in their older age. Therefore, to replicate their behaviours in wild it’s important that their diets remain suitable to their stage of life. The Navy Base already provides a mixture of food including fish and greens to the necessary age groups. However, the Navy’s budget only stretches so far, and we wanted to supplement the turtles with more vegetables. Consequently, in December GVI Phang Nga organised a fundraiser in order to raise money so that we could provide extra greens on a regular basis. Thanks to the funding we have been able to supply the turtles with extra portions of nutrient-packed vegetables. The fundraiser took the form of a team-effort bike ride and for every $10 donated one of our team, volunteers or staff, would hastily hop on a push-bike and pedal like mad around a 2km track, le tour de Ban Nam Khem.
Behind the Curtain
One of the newest instalments at the Navy Base is a tank, the largest in the centre so far. Situated on its own, towards the far-right of the site, the tanks’ sheltering system is a little grander than the other older tanks. However, as with any new-builds there have been some initial unforeseen issues that have arisen and at the forefront of our attention. Guarding the turtles from the raw forces of the coastal elements is a thick line of evergreen trees. However, in this conflicted world, these guardians are also proving to be somewhat of a nuisance to our turtles. The needles from the pines are blowing into the tanks in quite considerable numbers. We know this because we have swept and swept the pine needles away, taking photos to see how many new needles arrive by the time we comeback. The problem is that the turtles see these fresh needles dropping into their tanks as a tasty snack but are not able to digest the needles properly; which can wreak havoc in their digestive tracts and can have severe implications for the turtles if too many are consumed. So, this is where we come in, having assessed the area around the tank over a period of time, we’ve come to conclusion that we need to either cover the tank with netting to capture the needles, or erect a large curtain on the offending side of the tanks shelter, where the needles are entering. We currently have new chief in command at the Navy base who we must communicate with and so we are in the process of gaining his trust. Therefore, we our busy drafting plans with several options of how to prevent this from occurring in the future. As such, the funds will be used to keep the needles at bay.
To all our donors throughout 2019 we'd like to say an enormous thank you from our staff members. We cannot wait to see the good things that will come from 2020 but we are ready and waiting to make more unbelievable changes to the world!
With Gratitude,
Thailand Marine
By Luis Diaz | Project Coordinator
By Vanessa Rees | Program Manager
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