Over 500 endangered Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtles were rescued in the largest such operation in history off Cape Cod through the efforts of volunteer pilots donating their planes, time and fuel. Several sea turtles that could not be rescued were given to an educational program to raise awareness of endangered sea turtles and garner support for ongoing annual rescue efforts. The program aims to preserve sea turtle remains for educational use, develop materials for a national school tour, and excite students about aviation and conservation through the role of general aviation in the unprecedented sea turtle rescue. Support is requested to continue the rescue and education efforts.

1. ©B.Witherington
Turtles Fly,Too
Aviation is Making a Difference
General Aviation & Sea Turtles
This past fall, General Aviation played an extraorinary role in the
rescue of over 500 endangered Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtles. Generous
donors who contributed their planes, time, fuel –and most impor-
tantly – their love of aviation supported transporting turtles in the
Cape Cod State of Emergency. The flights by the volunteer pilots
constituted the largest rescue operation of its kind to save an
endangered species in history directed from Boise, Idaho.
Education = Awareness
NOAA recently gifted seven sea
turtles that were not able to be
rescued so that an educational
program could be developed to
spread the awareness of endangered sea
turtles including this historical rescue and
garner support for additional rescue efforts
occurring annually. Most years there are
nearly 100 sea turtle strandings in Cape
Cod due to cold stun (similar to hypother-
mia in humans). This past year there was
over 1,200 in less than two weeks.
Your support will allow us to
preserve the remains of the sea
turtles for use as tactile examples
to students across the country.
Contributions will also be used to
finalize educational materials and
launch the “General Aviation Saves the Sea
Turtles” national education road tour visiting
school districts from coast to coast. This
educational presentation, geared for K-12
students and student organizations, will
focus on the role of GA through the eyes
of pilots in this unprecedented rescue effort
to get students excited about aviation and
conservation. In order to continue making
a difference with our rescue and education
efforts, your support is vital for our success.
By supporting our program you will be
directly contributing to the sea turtle rescue
efforts as well as a focused educational
campaign to get students interested in GA
and wildlife preservation. Additionally, if
you are interested in sharing your aviation
experiences with students – let us know,
we’d love to hear your story. Thank you for
your consideration and continued support.
Interested in donating or need more information, or to volunteer please contact Leslie Weinstein,True-Lock LLC by text or call
(208)-484-7774, or leslie@true-lock.com. Please add Sea Turtle in subject when emailing.
Leslie Weinstein
4911 Parkwood Street, Boise, ID 83704
208-375-4846 or 208-484-7774
Leslie@True-Lock.com | true-lock.com
https://www.facebook.com/gasavesseaturtleeducation1
Manager & Founder | True-Lock LLC
in partnership with
University of Florida Development Board
Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research
http://accstr.ufl.edu/