Video: Jet Skiers Save Sea Turtle From Discarded Balloon


 

Bryce Trevett, a self-described “modern day adventurer” with a passion for nature and wildlife has made a name for himself traversing the globe doing research, photographing wildlife, getting up close and personal with nature. Bryce, and partner Angel Hernandez, have logged hundreds of hours filming their exploits, particularly reptiles and marine life. Recently, while off of the coast of Southern California, the two (aboard a Sea-Doo Spark and Yamaha VX, respectively) encountered a sea turtle is dire need of help. Bryce wrote:

“Angel and I were out filming wildlife on the open ocean off the Los Angeles coast yesterday and thought we saw a balloon from a far distance. We always collect the many balloons we see on every ocean expedition and as we approached this balloon, we noticed it was entangled with a young loggerhead sea turtle! We jumped in, pulled it on board, and cut the line/balloon material off. We took the opportunity to quickly talk about and hopefully educate people about the importance of throwing away your balloons and trash and how they affect marine life. This is the second sea turtle we have encountered in the last couple months that has been tangled in trash. Throw away your balloons!”

Marine biologists have attributed several deaths of sea turtles to swallowing balloons and plastic bags as they (the sea turtles, not the marine biologists) often mistake them for jellyfish. This particular turtle was wound up in a balloon that hindered its ability to swim freely. Recently, the entire State of California outlawed the sale and/or distribution of plastic bags by grocery stores, and recently the city of Laguna Beach proposed the outlawing of balloons in the city. (We’re literally not making this up.) While laws such as these bare questionable if not completely negligible results, it’s best to remind people to not be dirt bags and just pick up after themselves.

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Kevin Shaw

Editor-in-Chief – kevin.shaw@shawgroupmedia.com Kevin Shaw is a decade-long powersports and automotive journalist whose love for things that go too fast has led him to launching The Watercraft Journal. Almost always found with stained hands and dirt under his fingernails, Kevin has an eye for the technical while keeping a eye out for beautiful photography and a great story.

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