Love thy turtle Raises Sea Turtle Awareness with Newly Designed Barrier Tape Used to Mark Sea Turtle Nests

Now beachgoers can scan a QR code on the tape to find out more about sea turtles and even adopt one.

PALM BEACH SHORES, Fla. , Aug. 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- For millions of years, female sea turtles return to the same beaches where they were hatched to make their nests and lay their eggs. It is estimated that only 1 in 1,000 sea turtle hatchlings will survive to adulthood, so it is vital that these nests are preserved.

To preserve these nests, volunteers walk the beaches every morning searching for signs in the sand to tell if a nest has been dug. Currently, some of these nests get marked with typical yellow "Caution" tape or plain red ribbon.

Now, Keith Dorman, founder and managing director of Love thy turtle, has created and designed a new version of barrier tape that helps raise sea turtle awareness. What makes Love thy turtle's biodegradable barrier tape different is; the eye-catching color, more descriptive text, it's reusable, and above all, a QR code printed on the tape that says, "Adopt-A-Turtle."

By scanning the QR code printed on the tape, beachgoers are directed to the Map page on Love thy turtle's website. Here they can:

1. Instantly find out facts on the different species of sea turtles that nest on that particular beach.
2. Get directed to the nearest sea turtle rehabilitation center or conservancy, where they can adopt a turtle with a touch of a button.

"Now we have a barrier tape that can both help educate beachgoers on sea turtles and help drive donations," says Dorman. "After learning how plastics and other environmental conditions have led to an 80 percent decline in the sea turtle population, I realized I needed to do something, so I re-invented the barrier tape," he said. It is estimated that over 50 percent of sea turtles have ingested plastic, which is contributing to their population decline.

The very first Love thy turtle sea turtle nest was marked by the Topsail Turtle Project on July 6, 2023, a group led by Terry Meyer, Deputy and Conservation Director of the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in Surf City, North Carolina. "It's so cool! The QR code is awesome," says Meyer. "My cheeks are still hurting from smiling after receiving a picture of our very first nest," says Dorman. "We are raising sea turtle awareness, one nest at a time."

Love thy turtle's website has become an information hub for educating the public on sea turtles, including their life cycle, behavior, and the dangers these species face in the wild. It also acts as a conduit to the adoption pages of sea turtle rehabilitation centers throughout the country. By adopting a sea turtle, individuals can provide critical support for their rehabilitation, research and habitat preservation.

About Love thy turtle
Love thy turtle (https://lovethyturtle.com/) is committed to protecting sea turtles through community outreach and education. Engaging local communities with sea turtles and their habitats, Love thy turtle hopes to inspire individuals to take action in support of conservation efforts. One way Love thy turtle helps save sea turtles is by sharing information about other organizations that specialize in sea turtle conservation. By promoting and supporting these organizations, Love thy turtle can help to ensure that injured or sick sea turtles receive the care they need to recover and return to their natural habitats.

SOURCE Love thy turtle