Environment General Courses (ENVIRON)

taught in Beaufort

227. Biology and Conservation of Sea Turtles, NS, STS The course offers an enhanced educational opportunity featuring an optional 7-day field expedition to the Caribbean island of Trinidad to study the largest island-nesting colony of leatherback sea turtles and smaller assemblages of other endangered sea turtles. As offered in the past (that is, without the field expedition) the students’ opportunity to observe sea turtles has been limited to a visit to a local sea turtle hospital for (mainly) injured and recovering loggerhead turtles. Trinidad provides a unique opportunity to interact directly with multiple species of sea turtles, but more importantly with resource managers, community conservationists, fishermen and others in a “real-world” situation where endangered species management and conservation are complex in ways that are impossible to convey in a classroom setting. The field expedition also provides an opportunity to participate, if only briefly, in one of the finest village-based endangered species co-management conservation program in the developing world.

Instructors: S. Eckert and K. Eckert. 3 units C-L: Marine Sciences.

Trip to Trinidad is required as part of the course.