Collaborators
In 1974 , Fernando Manzano, founder of Vida Milenaria, began his work protecting marine turtles in Tecolutla, Veracruz at about the time when the Kemp’s ridley was nearly extinct. Over the years, he began to raise public awareness about sea turtles and the need to care for the local environment. In addition to protecting thousands of turtles, every year he has school children from well over one hundred schools from all over Mexico come to Tecolutla to learn about marine turtles from “Papa Tortuga”. All of our work as a group, and as individuals, are the direct result of his forty years of working tirelessly to protect the tortuga lora. You can find out more about Vida Milenaria from their website. To get a really good feel for the work that Fernando and Vida Milenaria have been doing in Tecolutla, be sure to watch the video below.
US based TTPP’s mission is to protect and promote the population growth of Kemp’s ridley sea turtles, primarily through financial support to Vida Milenaria. They have been an integral force in connecting all of the disparate organizations that are part of TMTR. They also serve at the logistics provider for the USC Study Abroad course.
Founded in 1801
, The University of South Carolina is the largest state university in South Carolina with a total population of over 40,000. The university houses the internationally recognized Belle W. Baruch Institute for Marine and Coastal Sciences as well as the Marine Science Program – a highly regarded center of research and teaching excellence.
Birmingham Audubon is one of the oldest organizations in Alabama advocating conservation and greater knowledge of birds. other wildlife, plants and their habitats. It has been in existence as an unincorporated entity since 1946. On November 22, 1974 it was incorporated as an Alabama non-profit corporation. Birmingham Audubon is an affiliated chapter with National Audubon. Birmingham Audubon strives to advocate for a greater appreciation, enjoyment, knowledge and protection of birds, other wildlife, plants and their habitats.
The Gladys Porter Zoo is an oasis nestled in the center of Brownsville, Texas. With 26 acres of lush tropical plants and some 1,600 animals, the Gladys Porter Zoo is known for its successes in breeding endangered species of wildlife. In 1978, a collaborative bi-national program between Mexico and the United States was developed to try and restore this species’ population to a self sustainable level, and in 1981, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service asked the Gladys Porter Zoo to administer the United States’ field portion of the joint U.S./Mexico effort to protect and increase the production of Kemp’s ridley sea turtles in their natal beaches located in the State of Tamaulipas, Mexico. To date, the Zoo still carries out that role.
The Institute of Marine Sciences and Limnology’s mission is to conduct research, marine science and limnology education, with a focus on contributing to the knowledge, preservation and management of ecosystems and water resources. The Centre was created on August 15, 1973, from several groups of researchers from different departments of the UNAM, with the initial goals of research and training qualified scientists.