A nurse from British Columbia has captured footage of a massive leatherback sea turtle swimming near Haida Gwaii, an island group off the northwest coast of the province. This rare sighting of the critically endangered turtle species has garnered attention from conservation experts.
Victoria Bradshaw, who works at a remote fishing lodge on Haida Gwaii, was fishing near Langara Island with her colleague Aidan Horne on July 14 when they spotted a large sea creature surfacing. Initially mistaking it for a sea lion, Bradshaw was surprised when Horne identified it as a sea turtle.
Describing the encounter, Bradshaw mentioned that the turtle, estimated to be between six and eight feet in size, stayed near their boat for a while. She expressed astonishment at the rarity of the sighting, unaware that spotting a leatherback sea turtle in British Columbia waters was such a unique experience.
The leatherback turtle, the largest turtle species globally and critically endangered, has been scarcely seen on the British Columbia coast, with only 149 recorded sightings since 1931, according to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Jackie Hildering, a director at the Marine Education and Research Society, highlighted the exceptional adaptability of leatherbacks to cold waters and their long-distance migrations for feeding.
Hildering emphasized the importance of protecting these endangered turtles, as only a small percentage of the Pacific population remains. Threats to their survival include entanglement in fishing gear, collisions with boats, and plastic pollution. She urged individuals to be mindful of their impact on marine life through everyday actions.
Bradshaw expressed how the encounter with the leatherback sea turtle had changed her perspective on marine conservation. She emphasized the significance of safeguarding marine habitats to ensure the well-being of various marine species. Hildering encouraged people who spot sea turtles to report their sightings to the Ocean Wise Sightings Network or via the Ocean Wise Whale Report app.