Turtle Tears
damp tracks mark the turtle’s
boxy leathery face
I ask the ranger about these secretions
turtle tears she says
then gives every explanation possible
that holds no feeling
someone asks
are we bothering her?
as another egg drops into the pile
oh no the ranger answers
we know she doesn’t mind
because she hasn’t stopped
what she was doing
I arch an eyebrow
considering my own labors
once they started
you just couldn’t stop
the next turtle chooses
to go back to the sea instead
scuffles her way toward the surf
until the researchers tackle her twice
pushing hard against her progress
digging their heels into the sand
to hold her still
while someone reads her tag
but they absentmindedly neglect to
write the numbers down
realize their mistake
and scurry to stop her again
of course
the saltwater tracks down her cheeks
are just water
instinctive
not grief
it’s easier for everyone
if it’s true
Mom says:
Can you share this with the Rangers’ supervisor and all agencies that band/tag animals/birds. I salute your level of empathy with glistening eyes.
AEOC says:
Yes, I will reach out to them. That night we just were in a rush to leave – the ranger took us to so many turtles before this “successful” visit that the kids were exhausted because it was so late.
Katy Emanuel says:
Unfortunately it seems many of these “attractions” are imposing on animals, many times you can see people harassing these beautiful creatures if there is not anyone of authority around to stop them. The lack of humanity can certainly be hard to deal with at times, so we try our best to teach our children to respect all creatures, watch for signs of the animals discomfort, and even if it is something we want to see, we move away if the animal shows any distress.
AEOC says:
Katy, that was part of the problem – we wanted to see turtles “responsibly,” so we bought tickets for this official visit. We were following rangers’ directions the whole time, but I think they just allowed too many people on the beach at once. And I think the researchers (who were acting independently of the rangers) could have been more considerate of the animals’ needs. I think our worst experience so far has been when we went looking for tarsiers in Sulawesi, Indonesia. Our guides started beating the tree that they were in so that we could get a better view and I had to ask them repeatedly to stop. Most of the time ecotourism does seem to be win-win, benefiting the community as well as the wildlife, but the welfare of the animals needs to come first.
Wendy says:
Wow. This makes me so sad. I have a huge affinity for sea turtles and do my part as a consumer to protect our oceans and these beautiful creatures. It’s hard to hear that the so called “expects” or “professionals” aren’t treating these animals properly. Thank you for calling attention to this.
AEOC says:
Thanks for your sea turtle protection efforts, Wendy! I just filed an official complaint with the Queensland Department of Environment and Science, which oversees the Mon Repos Turtle Centre and the Turtle Encounter program. We’ll see if they respond. Also wrote a negative Tripadvisor review so that other conservation-minded families might think twice before going.