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August 28, 2004 at 8:36 pm #20156
Marguerite Whilden
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact: Marguerite Whilden, Co-Founder Terrapin Institute and Research Consortium PO Box 501 Grasonville, MD 21638 Phone: 410- 370- 9171 GO TERPS The Diamondback Terrapin, our famous turtle, mascot and official State Reptile was once credited with __spreading the fame of the Chesapeake round the world__. Our terrapin is about to embark on another venture, not on four legs, but on two wheels. In its first outreach endeavor to promote sustained biodiversity, the inaugural trek of the __Terrapins for Turtles__ will commence next month. A diverse group of Marylanders hope to use the initiative to advance international ecological understanding, cooperation, and restoration. This September, four passionate and adventurous young men will begin an eight month journey which will take them off the beaten path through some of the more remote parts of the world. The traveling team of Michael Church, Kenneth Fletcher, Campbell Moore and Philippe Schols, has agreed to observe the native traditions, wild habitats and urban markets on the look out for turtles (and other curious creatures), along the way reporting back in photographs via the internet to Maryland researchers. Why turtles? They are a self-proclaimed international ambassador for wildlife as they occur in just about every landscape on the planet and are disappearing at an alarming rate. The group looks forward to meeting conservation organizations and researchers along their route The __Terrapins for Turtles__ will begin their personally-financed trek in Bavaria , up over 10,000 vertical feet to cross the Austrian Alps and descend into Italy where they will cross the Adriatic by ferry to Albania , the least developed country in Europe . They’ll ride past Mount Olympus in northern Greece a few weeks after the Games end, entering the Middle East and Asia via Istanbul , Turkey . If political conditions allow, they’ll continue south, through the deserts and canyons of Syria , Jordan , Israel and Egypt , ending a leg of their journey at the pyramids at Giza . Flying from Cairo to Bombay they’ll continue, exploring India and the foothills of the Himalayas in Nepal . From Calcutta another ferry will deliver them to tropical beaches of the Andaman Islands and on to Thailand , Myanmar and finally Cambodia . As unpaid journeymen with no particular agenda or expectations except their own personal evolution, these four are more likely to achieve the access, trust and cooperation which is often beyond the reach of intricate diplomacy and cautious deliberations. Their simple mode of travel and accommodations will be disarming and their indisputable curiosity will facilitate communication. Just being there will honor and compliment the many hosts along the way. In a chance meeting at Arlington Echo Education Center where Mikey Church is a life-guard, members of the Terrapin Institute were captivated with stories and photographs of his previous explorations in China . As part of his undergraduate work at St. Mary_s College, Mikey has already visited regions where few have dared and where there may be some of the last remaining specimens of certain species. This part of the world once supported a vast range of flora and fauna. Turtles in particular are prized in Chinese cultures as consumption of adult wild-caught species is believed to bestow wisdom, health, and longevity. Sadly, with a bulging human population in China , affluence and globalization many native turtle species are gone; collection of wild animals from surrounding countries is unrestricted and lucrative. Turtles from farther parts of the world, including the U. S. , are imported to satisfy the centuries_ old Chinese customs. Through the interest and eyes of the St. Mary_s College graduates, organizations such as the Terrapin Institute hope to gain valuable insight into other cultures and biodiversity which in turn will allow for improved conservation and protection of our own natural resources and eventually contribute to preserving biodiversity worldwide. Turtles make ideal study models as the universally recognized icon of nature; they occur in almost every biome and continent. Mankind all over the planet can relate to turtles and for centuries has immortalized the animal in legends and traditions. The point is not to condemn or ridicule customs and traditions, but to observe and learn. The point of the photographs and data collected along the trip is for scientific documentation. What we think we know about turtles and their various habitats may not be accurate; the situation may be far worse or it may actually be salvageable. Since the world turtle crisis has been under study, there have been confirmed observations of turtles which were either assumed to be extinct or previously undiscovered. Travelers into the few remaining remote areas unscathed by human progress occasionally are rewarded with extraordinary experiences and sometimes the last glimpse of a species before it leaves the planet for good. Unfortunately, these major evolutionary events are not always recorded photographically or accurately. A simple photograph with date and location from the __Terrapins for Turtles__ will be invaluable to future science and conservation efforts. Back in 2002, thanks to the support of the University of Maryland , the Terrapin Institute initiated “Terrapins for Turtles” as a global stewardship effort to reverse the depletion of biodiversity worldwide and promote the State_s academic excellence. The initiative hoped to attract University students to study abroad, sharing knowledge and sportsmanship, in pursuit of resolution to the world_s disappearing nature. The Terrapin Institute hopes to find sponsors for the students both in the U. S. and overseas. ” Maryland has the only university with a turtle, a ubiquitous creature, as a mascot. As leaders in science, technology, business, and diplomacy, not to mention athletic achievement, going global with the Terps is a logical step.” A symbol of long life, persistence and tolerance, the turtle may even advance world peace and harmony. Our first delegation of __Terrapins for Turtles__ is not from the University of Maryland or sanctioned by any academic institution; they are graduates of the State_s renowned Public Honors College , but nonetheless proud Marylanders and proud to call themselves TERRAPINS. Under the stewardship of President Maggie O_Brien, St. Mary_s College has become a truly international campus with a generous perspective efficiently secured in an intimate natural setting. Here in St. Mary_s idyllic tidewater venue, far from the urbane University of Maryland College Park campus, the real diamondback terrapin can be found nesting on school grounds along the shores of the St. Mary_s River. On behalf of the group, Fletcher reports __We are excited about the added opportunities to contribute throughout our travels. The Asian turtle program is a great way to learn about human impact on the environment and contribute something while we are on our trip. Any support we get for this undertaking would be greatly beneficial.__ The travelers worked over the summer to earn the $5,000 required to complete the trip. Given the scientific advances which may result from their observations, any additional contributions to their efforts would be well worth the donation. Members of __Terrapin for Turtles__ team can be reached via e-mail at michurch@… and krfletcher@…. The Terrapin Institute and Research Consortium is a private non-profit organization supported by the U of MD Fear the Turtle Fund, private corporations, and individual contributions. The Fund is financed through license fees and sales revenues from University logo merchandise. A suspected increase in the commercial harvest of the terrapin from Maryland waters is under study by the Terrapin Institute, which also implements educational programs and promotes the preservation of tidewater habitats. Demands from global markets and declines in the State_s other commercial species may be driving harvesters towards other fisheries species such as terrapins. That coupled with degraded nesting habitats throughout the Chesapeake Bay and no effort to restock the species indicates a potential collapse in the terrapin population in the near future. Terrapins once were the mainstay of commercial fishing. In the early 20th century, wild terrapin stocks were exploited to near extinction to supply a nation of overindulgent epicureans. If the wealthy and sophisticated State of Maryland cannot save its own humble mascot, what hope is there for international species protection? On the back of a turtle, in the hands of students, the Terrapin Institute hopes to establish a new diplomacy in international relations and actual conservation. Please visit the Terrapin Institute web-site at http://www.terrapininstitute.org or call 410 370 9171 for more information. Marguerite WhildenThe Terrapin InstituteP. O. Box 501Grasonville, MD. 21638410 370 9171410 757 9268
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