Rescuing a Sea Turtle Named Ed by Ed Stoddard

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas (Reuters) — I had come to this sandy island on the southeast coast of Texas to do environment stories, including one on efforts led by a largely volunteer organization to protect sea turtles. The group, Sea Turtles Inc., focuses on protecting the nests and hatchlings of the endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtle but also rescues other stranded or injured turtles.

Sea Turtles’ president, Shane Wilson, shares my passion for salt water fly fishing so we went to the pier on the south side of the island just after dawn to try our luck.

We saw a small Atlantic green turtle in obvious distress.

"This is not good," Wilson said as we watched the animal struggle to get its head above water to breathe. It seemed to be almost stationary, apparently caught on something.

We tried to use my fly rod to hook the fishing line entangling the creature and pull it in, but that didn't work. Wilson swam the 5 yards to the animal, grabbed the fishing line it was caught on and hauled it in.

The incident drove home how the careless use of fishing line—this would have been discarded by anglers using a rod and reel—can inflict serious damage on wildlife. On a far larger scale turtle populations around the world are getting hammered by commercial long-line and netting operations, which often discard their carcasses as "by-catch."

They Named Him Ed

Our rescued turtle had some scars from its ordeal and we took it to Sea Turtles’ facility. I held the animal out in front of me as it dog paddled in the air, as Wilson drove. The center's curator, Jeff George, weighed the animal—8-1/2 lbs (four kg)—and gave it some mild antibiotic. Flatteringly, the center's staff named the little turtle Ed.

Some 20 sea turtles of various species, ages and sizes were being cared for at the center. Some had lost more than one flipper to predators or fishermen, meaning they could not be released into the wild.

The center's main focus is preserving turtle eggs during the laying season for the Kemp's ridley from April to July, when volunteers scour the beach in search of nests. When a turtle's tracks are seen in the sand, the nest is located and the eggs are delicately removed to a holding pen for incubation. When they hatch the little ones are shepherded into the sea to protect them from birds and other predators.

The Kemp's ridley, which nests only on the coast of southeast Texas and east Mexico, was on the verge of extinction a couple of decades ago with only about 300 females left. There are now about 11,000 which make some 15,000 nests a year—the animals make multiple nests in alternating years—making them a rare marine conservation success story

Which of the following is the best summary of the selection?

W. Sea Turtles Inc. is a volunteer organization that protects sea turtles. Sea turtles are in danger because of the careless use of fishing line and commercial long-line and netting operations. Turtles that have lost one flipper stay with the center because they can't go into the wild. During April to July, volunteers take Kemp's ridley eggs, incubate them, and return hatchlings to sea. There are now 11,000 of them.

X. Ed Stoddard came to southeast Texas to do environment stories. He learned about Sea Turtles Inc., a volunteer organization. He went fishing with the organizations' president, Shane Wilson, and saw an Atlantic green turtle caught on some fishing line. Together, they rescued the turtle and took it to Sea Turtles' facility, where it was weighed and given antibiotics. They named the turtle Ed.

Y. This article describes the wonderful efforts of Sea Turtles Inc., a selfless volunteer organization that protects the endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtles. Because of them, the Kemp's ridley sea turtles' population has risen to an amazing 11,000. The organization also helps stranded or injured turtles. Fishing line and netting operations often harm the sea turtles, so they need to be more careful.

Z. The author, Ed Stoddard, visited South Padre Island and learned about Sea Turtles Inc., a volunteer organization that helps the endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtles and rescues any turtle in need. During his trip, he helped rescue a turtle, who like many other turtles had become trapped in some fishing line. They took the turtle to the Sea Turtles' facility, where it was cared for and named Ed.