THE SEA TURTLE RESCUE: CHAPTER 5By Eric DouglasA loggerhead turtle, caught in fishing line, has been brought into the ocean research centre at Nags Head, North Carolina. Its wounds are being treated by Jayne and Marie’s mother Ann, a veterinarian and her assistant, Sophia. Jayne and Marie and their new friends Javier and Monique have been allowed to watch.Jayne, Marie, Javier, and Monique walked outside to wait for their parents. The turtle had been placed in a special holding tank and was already using the cut flipper now that the fishing line was gone.The girls’ mom cautioned everyone about getting too excited about the turtle’s progress. It would probably take months before she was fit to return to the ocean, if ever.“Mom said we can give the turtle a name. We’ve got to call it something if it’s going to be around here for months and months. So, what do you guys think?” Jayne said.“I vote we call it Jose. That’s my favourite uncle’s name,” Javier offered.“It’s a girl,” all three girls answered together.“Then what do you want to name it?” he shot back.“My dad has helped rescue a couple other turtles before. Some of the names they give them are funny — like ‘Tuesday’ for the day they found it or ‘Egg roll’ if they found it outside of the Chinese restaurant,” Monique offered.“That’s cool,” Jayne said excitedly. “We can call her ‘Friends’ because we met new friends today.”“Jayne, I think the name should be about her, not about us,” Marie replied. “So, where did you guys find this one? What was around there?”“I was so excited that dad took me along, I didn’t really think to look around,” Monique admitted sheepishly.“Do you think you could find it again?” Jayne asked, standing up. “We can go look!”“I think so. I know where we were. I just didn’t pay that much attention,” Monique answered.“Then let’s go and see for ourselves,” Marie said. “We can find her nest and make sure it’s safe, too. After she worked so hard to give her babies a chance, we’ve got to help.”“That’s a great idea,” Javier agreed.“What does a turtle’s nest look like?” Marie asked. “How do we find it?”“I’ve seen a few nests. My dad has taken me to hatchings — when the babies climb out of their shells and crawl to the ocean. We try to make sure as many survive as possible,” Monique said. “I know what to look for.”“Isn’t their mom there to help them get in the water when they hatch?” Javier asked.“No. The mother sea turtle is miles away by then. After she lays her eggs in the warm sand they don’t hatch for almost two months. No one is guarding the hatchlings when they crawl toward the water, so birds and raccoons eat them before they can make it,” Monique explained. “Other animals will eat the eggs, too, if they can find them.”“Then we need to get going,” Jayne said. “If she didn’t get her nest covered up right, the eggs might not stand a chance. Come on, Marie. Let’s get our bikes.”“But Javier and I rode with our parents. We don’t have our bikes,” Monique said, concerned that she and Javier weren’t going to go, too.“Jayne and I have extra helmets and we can ride you double on our bikes until we get to your bikes,” Marie offered. “Sorry, Javier. My extra helmet is pink. I hope you don’t mind.”“I just hope no one sees me,” the boy grumbled.The foursome took off quickly on the two bikes. They started out going north, to get the other two bikes, and then returned south to look for the spot where Monique, her father, and the other volunteers had found the injured turtle.Something to think about1. What are some of the dangers facing turtle hatchings on its way to the ocean?2. How long might it take for the turtle to be able to return to the ocean?3. Why do the children want to find the rescued turtle’s nest?4. Why would the children be cautioned about getting too excited over the turtle’s progress?5. What do you think would be a good name for this sea turtle?NEXT WEEK: Remember the spot