Te Mana O Te Moana https://www.temanaotemoana.org/en/ Wed, 09 Jan 2019 01:06:41 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.2 https://www.temanaotemoana.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/cropped-1-LOGO-PRINCIPAL-TMOTM-full-quadri-1-1-32x32.png Te Mana O Te Moana https://www.temanaotemoana.org/en/ 32 32 Celebration of the 2018 Polynesian Turtle Day https://www.temanaotemoana.org/en/2018-polynesian-turtle-day/ Fri, 14 Dec 2018 00:03:42 +0000 http://www.temanaotemoana.org/?p=14662

On 12 December 2018, Te mana o te moana celebrated the Polynesian Turtle Day with about 120 students as part of the ‘Paruru no te moana’ project. A unique opportunity for those children to be more aware of the importance of protection of the Polynesian marine environment and more specifically the sea turtles. 5 different classes from Moorea primary schools attended the event.

 

The day was organized aroung 5 different activities focusing on sea turtles, marine mammals, coral reefs and environment protection:

  1. Educational wokshop with board games on sea turtles, cetaceans  and coral reefs
  2. Creative workshop using vegetal and mineral materials
  3. Visit to the Sea turtle care center and a presentation on the current residents
  4. Visit to the underwater trails with the installation of a coral cut by each class
  5. Interactive games on the marine world and initiation to collaborative sciences

 

A big thank you to our partners for this event: the Directorate for the Environment in French Polynesia, the municipality of Moorea Maiao and Vilebrequin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]> Amazing, welcoming of an olive ridley sea turtle… https://www.temanaotemoana.org/en/amazing-welcoming-of-an-olive-ridley-sea-turtle/ Tue, 30 Jan 2018 23:06:54 +0000 http://www.temanaotemoana.org/?p=12899 For this new year, exceptional arrival of Matau, a male olive ridley turtle ! This specie is more rarely observed in French Polynesia than the other species, since it is much more common off the coast than in lagoons. This turtle was found by a fisherman from Moorea off Tetiaroa, floating with an old hook stuck in its jaw.

We managed to remove this hook and named the sea turtle Matau, which means hook in Tahitian, in memory of its mishap. Matau is still floating and alternates phases in our care room and in a nursery of our rehabilitation lagoon, but it feels better and better and eats with appetite, so that we hope we can release it soon.

]]> Release of Apetahi… https://www.temanaotemoana.org/en/release-of-apetahi/ Thu, 15 Dec 2016 20:53:56 +0000 http://www.temanaotemoana.org/?p=11495 apetahi-2Apetahi is an adult green turtle who arrived from the island of Raiatea in April 2016. After an anonymous call, this turtle was found on her back in the corridor of a house under construction, positioned in this way since 48 hours, waiting to be butchered for personal consumption. This turtle was called Apetahi, in reference to the endemic flower, symbol of Raiatea, which is, like sea turtles, an endangered species. With a curved carapace length of 85cm, Apetahi is the largest green turtles we have had in rehabilitation since the creation of the Clinic in 2004. After a few months at the Clinic, the wound caused by a spear gun on top of her head has healed well so our veterinarian and the team agreed on releasing her back to the wild. Because of her unusual size compared to the size class of sea turtle foraging in French Polynesia, we decided to put a satellite tracker on her carapace to be able to follow her movements in her first months of travels.apetahi-3

The release took place on the 24th of September, which was also the celebration of the organisation’s 12th birthday. For the occasion, we invited all volunteers, the Minister for research, and some guests for the release. These moments are what we are all looking forward to when we receive a sick or injured turtle, as it indicates the complete recovery of the turtle and therefore her return into the ocean…

]]> Beginning of educational programs for school children… https://www.temanaotemoana.org/en/beginning-of-educational-programs-for-school-children/ Fri, 02 Sep 2016 23:24:18 +0000 http://www.temanaotemoana.org/?p=11437 Mag en programme 31-08-2016On the 31st of August, the organisation provided its first educational program for this scholar year, for a class from the agricultural secondary school of Moorea. The class visited the Clinic and learned about the ecology of sea turtles, the different species in French polynesia and the threats they have to face. They also learned about the management of non profit organisations (French law 1901), which was the theme of their day.

Every year, around 7 000 students come with their classes to be taught about marine based themes (sea turtles, coral reefs, marine mammals…) through the educational programs elaborated by our foundation. Since 2004, we raised awareness of more than 70 000 persons mostly children during educational programs or events in favor or the oceans.

]]> Launching of the photo-identification of sea turtles in French Polynesia… https://www.temanaotemoana.org/en/launching-of-the-photo-identification-of-sea-turtles-in-french-polynesia/ Fri, 02 Sep 2016 23:04:29 +0000 http://www.temanaotemoana.org/?p=11431 Fiche technique pour photo identificationThe scales on each side of sea turtle’s head are like fingerprints for human : unique to each individual and stable with time. As such, a photograph of a sea turtle’s head allows us to identify this turtle and to follow her in her movements : it’s what we call photo-identification. Unlike conventional tracking methods (tags, satellite trackers…) photo-identification does not require any manipulation of the sea turtles, and is therefore considered as a non invasive method. It was initiated by Kelonia and the Ifremer from the Reunion’s island and called the “TORSOII” program. Sea turtle photographs taken in French Polynesia can help us to improve our understanding on the repartition, behavior, habits and movements of sea turtles around Polynesian islands. To increase locals’ participation (through citizen science), the organisation created a guidelines method on the method. The functioning for the method was also shared on social media. You can contribute to this program in sending us the pictures of the sea turtles taken (no need to be close to the turtles and remember that you don’t have to disturb them).

]]> Arrival of a new sea turtle at the Clinic … https://www.temanaotemoana.org/en/arrival-of-a-new-sea-turtle-at-the-clinic/ Fri, 02 Sep 2016 22:43:36 +0000 http://www.temanaotemoana.org/?p=11422 DSC_0335 - CopieThe Clinic welcomed a new sea turtle this month : Sammy is a young green turtle found by a fisherman who was fishing along the reef in Moorea. As he noticed that the turtle had difficulties swimming, he decided to take her in his boat and bring her back to the Clinic.

Sammy has no apparent wounds (except an old scar on her right flipper). On the day she arrived, she suffered from a small eye infection and she was slightly floating, but it all went away after a few days.

However, she is still weak, and some plastic pieces were found in her fieces. We fear she might have an intestinal blocage, so we keep her in high surveillance to make sure she recovers well. Sammy weights around 13 kg for 51 cm. Since 2004, our Clinic is approved by Ministerial Decree from the Ministry of the Environment.

]]> One day at the Sea turtle Clinic…. https://www.temanaotemoana.org/en/one-day-at-the-sea-turtle-clinic/ Fri, 02 Sep 2016 22:15:17 +0000 http://www.temanaotemoana.org/?p=11410 OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAOur team is regularly doing daily or weekly tasks at the Clinic. For examples this week was dedicated to the building of a new nursery for Bob, Maeva and Luce, the hatchlings we rescued a few months ago at Tetiaroa during our nesting monitoring program. The babies are growing fast, and we are anticipating their needs for larger individual spaces within the lagoon.

bd Mag et Maui

Moreover, every month (and every week for young turtles), all sea turtles of the Clinic are measured and weighted, in order to evaluate their growth and to insure they get the right amount of food every day. Even though weighting and measuring small turtles is quite easy, it is getting complicated with larger ones, such as Apetahi (above picture), the adult green turtle who arrived a few months ago after she had been injured by a spear gun on top of her head. As she is big, wild, fast, and located in the large rehabilitation lagoon, it is a whole mission to catch her for measures.

CécileThe whole team comes together to catch her, weight and measure her, and bring her back in the water as fast as possible. We were also excited to see that the healing of the wound on her head is almost complete, so she will be released this following month.

For this year, the Sea Turtle Clinic is supported by the Vilebrequin company, the Pacsafe one, the Air Tahiti Nui airline company and the Foundation Nature et Découvertes. Since 2004, our Clinic is approved by Ministerial Decree from the Ministry of the Environment and the transportation of the turtles from the all French Polynesia is done thanks to the airline company Air Tahiti. 

]]> A new technician at the Clinic … https://www.temanaotemoana.org/en/a-new-technicien-at-the-clinic-maui/ Fri, 02 Sep 2016 21:43:39 +0000 http://www.temanaotemoana.org/?p=11401 BD Maui (1)Since August 1st the team of our foundation extended itself. We welcomed a new technician in our Clinic’s team : Maui. He is native from Moorea and is 25 years old. He will be on contract with us for a year, and will be in charge of daily tasks at the Clinic (food preparation, sea turtle feeding, cares, cleaning…), and also of maintenance and servicing aspects of the Clinic. Notice that Maui is is wearing the beautiful “Moorea” swim sweat created and dedicated to our sea turtles conservation by the Vilebrequin French brande. 10 $ per swimsuit sold will be donated to our foundation.

<< Click here to discover the Moorea collection by Vilebrequin.

]]> New informative panels from the Sea Turtle Clinic… https://www.temanaotemoana.org/en/new-informative-panels-from-the-sea-turtle-clinic/ Fri, 29 Jul 2016 20:06:58 +0000 http://www.temanaotemoana.org/?p=11368 bd DSC_0049When you will come over to see turtles Clinic from Moorea, you will now enjoy our new informative panels realized thanks to support of the Vilebrequin company, the Pacsafe‘s one, the Moorea Dolphin Center, the Foundation Nature et Découvertes and the InterContinental Resort and Spa Moorea. Those panels will inform you about the different nurseries and lagoons we do have at the Clinic. Moreover, you will discover the boarders of the moment, their diseases and the location they are placed in. We do actually welcome 14 sea turtles : 12 green turtles and 2 hawksbill ones. Matapo and Tortilla (the 2 hawksbill turtles) are placed in the “resting area”, a home area for turtles dependent on human for their survival. If you have chance, you will catch sight of Apetahi and Tuffy, two green turtles placed in the rehabilitation area. Then, you will observe the babies from 2 years old and those of a few months old in the 7 nurseries placed on the sides of the Clinic and dedicated for turtles requiring regular cares or to isolate turtles for a short period of time.

<< Click here if you would like to get more information about the boarders of the Sea Turtle Clinic, authorized by ministerial decree from the Ministry of the Environment in French Polynesia.

bd PANNEAU2 120X80 (1)

]]> Oceane, a green turtle welcomed at the Sea turtle Clinic…. https://www.temanaotemoana.org/en/oceane-a-green-turtle-welcomed-at-the-sea-turtle-clinic/ Fri, 29 Jul 2016 19:12:22 +0000 http://www.temanaotemoana.org/?p=11361 Oceane“Oceane” is a young green turtle that was found floating a few days ago by a fisherman from the island of Moorea. Worried by her unsual behavior, he decided to load her on his Kayak and bring her back to the Sea Turtle Clinic as fast as possible. Her clinic examination revealed that Océane was actually a spear fishing attempt in the neck that had caused her condition. Océane weights 12 kg and is 50 cm long. After 2 days in the medical room, she’s now in a rehabilitation nursery. We hope that her injury will cicatrize rapidly. The Sea turtle Clinic is authorized by ministerial decree from the Ministry of the Environment.

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