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I\u2019m thrilled to announce that we have officially launched the Great Canadian Turtle Race<\/a>! This project will help to conserve the Endangered leatherback sea turtle and to ensure more caring Canadians, like you, learn about this at-risk reptile and about marine conservation.<\/p>\n The leatherback sea turtle is officially recognized as an endangered species by Canada and on an international scale. It was only in the last decade that Canadian Sea Turtle Network scientists, with support from the Canadian Wildlife Federation, identified how crucial Canada\u2019s Atlantic waters are for Atlantic leatherback populations. For ages, these giant reptiles have travelled to Atlantic Canada every summer to forage on abundant jellyfish in preparation for their journey to their southern nesting grounds. The challenge now is to ensure that more Canadians recognize these turtles as a part of Canada\u2019s wildlife and that we share responsibility for their conservation.<\/p>\n My hope is that we can improve this with the Great Canadian Turtle Race<\/a>.<\/p>\n Scientists from the Canadian Sea Turtle Network were able to attach satellite tags to four female leatherback turtles which will give scientists important knowledge about the behavior and location of the turtles as they make their way to their southern wintering grounds.<\/p>\n Here comes the fun. The previous winner of the Great Canadian Turtle Race, Red Rockette, will be joining the race as a pace maker for these reptile racers! Whichever turtle travels the greatest distance by World Wildlife Day, on March 3, will be the winner of this year\u2019s race!<\/p>\n Which turtle do you think will win the race? Learn more about the racers here!<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n —————————————————————————————–<\/p>\n J\u2019ai le grand plaisir d\u2019annoncer que nous avons officiellement donn\u00e9 le coup d\u2019envoi de la Grande Course canadienne des tortues<\/a>! Ce projet favorisera la conservation de la tortue luth, une esp\u00e8ce en voie de disparition, et permettra \u00e0 un plus grand nombre de Canadiens sensibles \u00e0 la cause, comme vous, de d\u00e9couvrir cette esp\u00e8ce de reptiles en p\u00e9ril et de se renseigner sur la conservation marine.<\/p>\n Le danger d\u2019extinction auquel est expos\u00e9e la tortue luth est reconnu officiellement tant au Canada qu\u2019\u00e0 l\u2019\u00e9chelle internationale. C\u2019est seulement dans la derni\u00e8re d\u00e9cennie que des scientifiques du Canadian Sea Turtle Network, b\u00e9n\u00e9ficiant d\u2019un soutien apport\u00e9 par la F\u00e9d\u00e9ration canadienne de la faune, ont constat\u00e9 \u00e0 quel point les eaux canadiennes de l\u2019Atlantique sont importantes pour les populations de luths de cet oc\u00e9an. Depuis tr\u00e8s longtemps, ces reptiles g\u00e9ants se rendent chaque \u00e9t\u00e9 au Canada atlantique pour se nourrir de m\u00e9duses, qui sont abondantes dans cette r\u00e9gion, en pr\u00e9paration de leur voyage vers les plages m\u00e9ridionales de nidification. Le d\u00e9fi que nous devons relever maintenant, c\u2019est de veiller \u00e0 ce que davantage de Canadiens se rendent compte que ces tortues font partie de la faune du Canada et que nous partageons la responsabilit\u00e9 de leur conservation.<\/p>\n