A volunteer with the Nature and Parks Authority in Eilat, Israel, documented their encounter with a rare-to-the-area sea turtle.
According to YNet News, Meron Segev came across a brown sea turtle, also called the loggerhead turtle, on the northern coast of Eilat, resting in a bed of seaweed on the beach.
Segev told the publication it was "a very rare encounter."
This turtle species is threatened for a number of reasons, including coastal development that damages their nesting sites, entanglement in fishing nets, plastic pollution in the ocean, and warming ocean temperatures.
These creatures are important for a healthy ocean ecosystem. According to the World Wildlife Fund, sea turtles help to maintain seagrass beds and coral reefs.
The latter can help reduce the impact of flooding and storm surges on coastal communities, which is increasingly important as extreme weather, such as hurricanes, becomes stronger and more prolonged amid rising global temperatures.
Meanwhile, coral reefs support animals like tuna, lobster, and shrimp, which are a crucial part of the human food supply.
Brown sea turtles are almost unheard of in Eilat, with this being only the third officially recorded in the region.
According to YNet News, a ranger in the marine unit of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority in Eilat, Omri Yossef Omessi, explained, "The first recording was of a brown sea turtle that laid two nests on the northern beaches of Eilat in 2021. I was privileged to record the hatchlings' exit on their way back to the sea, and it was a very moving sight."
The video Segev took is of an adult female brown sea turtle that wildlife authorities believe is the one that laid eggs in the area in 2021.
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Do you think humans are doing enough to protect endangered animals? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Definitely 👍 The use of cameras by wildlife authorities is one of the best ways to document wildlife sightings, particularly of rarely seen species.
Whether handheld or trail cameras, this technology makes documenting rare wildlife sightings much easier and serves as a significant tool in conservation efforts.
Trail cameras avoid direct human interaction, allowing natural animal behavior to be observed while causing the creatures less stress and reducing the risk of harmful human-wildlife conflicts.
In Maryland, for example, trail cameras were used to capture footage of a bobcat, a key predator rarely seen in the region that helps control prey populations.
Wildlife cameras also enable experts to monitor endangered species' population numbers to determine how well conservation efforts are going. They allow authorities to monitor these species and catalogue the success of rehabilitation efforts.
Additionally, capturing rare wildlife sightings on film can be a significant motivator for local communities to become better stewards of their environment.
This makes the use of wildlife and trail cameras truly invaluable for smart wildlife management. Utilizing these cameras helps protect wildlife, particularly those that are endangered.
Best of all, witnessing an encounter like this one, whether in person or via video, can be truly special.
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