Recommended Reading: Fire in the Turtle House
The Green Sea Turtle and the Fate of the Ocean
by Osha Gray Davidson
Published by Public Affairs LLC, 2001
"[A]n eloquent eco-cautionary take wrapped in a scientific mystery. . . From remote Pacific atolls to Key West, the author provides an underwater travelogue in search of an answer to the disease's origin. . . readers interested in ecology and animals, as well as those who value strong prose, will be intrigued and troubled by this book." — Publishers Weekly
The "honu"—Hawaiian for sea turtle—has existed since the time of the dinosaurs. Considered sacred by many cultures, the sea turtle is also universally considered one of the most fascinating and beautiful animals in the sea. But this revered and mystical reptile is fading from the sea, ravaged by a mysterious and gruesome plague called fibropapillomatosis (FP). Now affecting six of seven remaining species of sea turtles in every boat basin in the world, FP has the potential to render extinct creatures that have existed for more than a hundred million years. What is happening to the sea turtle, and how can it be stopped? And what does the disappearance of the sea turtle imply for the future of our oceans?
In Fire in the Turtle House, acclaimed journalist Osha Gray Davidson tracks the fervent efforts of the extraordinary marine biologists and veterinarians engaged in a race against time. Their goal is to unravel a complicated biological and environmental puzzle that will save the turtles from extinction.
PublicAffairs; ISBN: 1-58648-000-6; $26.00US; 220 pages
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