During their stay in French Polynesia, Charles Duke and Jean-François Clervoy have spent some time visiting the Sea Turtles Clinic in Moorea. These unusual visitors created an occasion for an unusual event: the release of Costa Luna, a sea turtle who stayed 6 years at the Clinic.
May 12th, 2012: The conference “I walked on the moon”
The moonwalker Charles Duke and the French astronaut Jean-François Clervoy, also Patron of te mana o te moana, proposed a public conference called “I walked on the moon”. This event was co-organised by te mana o te moana and the Lions Club of Papeete, in honnor of the 40th anniversary of Apollo 16 mission, to which Charles duke participated 40 years ago.
>> Read more about the conference “I walked on the Moon” and read the interview of Jean-François Clervoy
>> Read the interview of Charles Duke
>> Download the REVUE DE PRESSE (Internet et presse écrite) – Deux astronautes en visite à Tahiti
May 11th, 2012: Costa Luna returns to the ocean… at last!
Costa was found agonising on a beach, on Tahiti island, on the 7th of May 2006, aged almost 2, with an spear-gun arrow piercing her neck.
Today, she has reached 51,2kg and 78,5cm, and is able to live by herself back in the wild. It is a very special moment for te mana o te moana’s team, because Costa remained 6 whole years at the Sea Turtles Clinic. Amongst all sea turtles that have been released, Costa is the one who stayed the longest.
This return back to the ocean was supported by prestigious patrons, such as Charles Duke, former NASA astronaut who walked on the moon in 1972, who renamed her Costa Luna, and Miss Tahiti, Rauata Temauri.
The escort first visited the Sea Turtles Clinic, in order to help get Costa Luna ready for the release. Indeed, Costa Luna won’t leave us without news, because she will be equipped with a satellite tag which will send information on her position.
This satellite tagging program is supported by the Annenberg Foundation, the NOAA and Georges Balasz scientist, the Nicolas Hulot Foundation for Man and Nature, Tahiti Legends and the CNES throughout its educational program “Argonautica”.
After a short journey on boat to the western side of the Opunohu Bay, Costa Luna left the world of humans, forever we hope, to get back to hers.
>> Follow Costa Luna’s position with Argonautica
>> Read the story of COSTA LUNA
