After a 15 year long battle between developers and conservationists, Puerto Rico has passed a law to protect a major nesting site to the endangered leatherback turtles.
The law will protect 14 sq km (5.4 sq miles) of the coast where hundreds of leatherback nests are created every year. This important area is now a major eco-tourism destination thanks to the unique plant and animal species.
The leatherbacks get their name from their flexible “leathery” shells. These massive creatures can weigh around 600 kg (1322 lbs) with shells up to two meters (6’7”) long!
One big leatherback turtle! – Image Credit:Françoise Emily/Alamy
“Today this important, highly ecologically valuable resource is being protected forever… History is being made,” said Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla, on the Vocero news site.
And that’s what’s good,
Jon