The Tribune

TWO Bahamas National Trust interns have been learning about and helping to preserve endangered sea turtles by taking part in tagging exercises in Eleuthera.

Despite extensive conservation efforts globally, sea turtles remain on the endangered list and each year the Trust supports two or three tagging expeditions designed to evaluate movement and distribution patterns of sea turtles in the Bahamas.

Interns Alliea Hanna and Marquis Rolle joined researchers to survey major habitats around Eleuthera, paying special attention to small loggerhead turtles.  

The internship inspires the students to become better environmental stewards while improving their public speaking skills, learning real life research techniques and increasing their knowledge of the endangered turtles.

During the expeditions the interns and researchers stay on the Foxy Lady, a sleep-aboard vessel where they are required to help with all of the daily chores, in addition to the research and preparatory work for presentations.

They are also required to deliver

presentations in various communities on the major Family Islands about the BNT and the work it is doing to protect the turtles.

“The BNT is pleased to provide young people an internship opportunity that allows them to work alongside veteran researchers and engage in real scientific research,” said Portia Sweeting, BNT’s Director of Education. 

“We see this incredible experience as an investment into our future conservation leaders and thank Stephen Connett and Barbara Crouchley, leader researchers, for the expertise they bring to the programme.”

This is the fourth year of this programme. For those interested in the BNT internship programme students should visit www.bnt.bs and to follow the BNT’s sea turtle research and education initiative go to www.bahamasseaturtleresearch.org or like the BNT on Facebook.