It was not a coincidence, I guess, that in World Turtle day (May 23rd) I was attending the World Conference of Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in Geneva, 19-24 May 2013. The Conference was by Switzerland, and brought together over 3,500 participants from 171 countries. It was opened by the President of Switzerland, Ueli Maurer. The discussions were dynamic and focused on practical solutions. One that I was also involved in the Ignite State Presentation was to topic on Safe School Safe Children, National School Safety Program. Another that I like much is the importance of focusing on environmental degradation and disasters. And this reminds me about the Turtle Day.

The Turtle Day was created as an annual observance to help people celebrate and protect
turtles and tortoises and their disappearing habitats around the world.

When Ninja Turtle movie was booming, my little brother, Angga asked me, ?why
ninja turtles, not a ninja tortoise??  I   just smiled, and wondered myself about the same question, until I found the answer from the internet.

Turtles and Tortoises may look alike to most people, but they are quite different from each other. Turtles typically live in or near water. They like to swim, and are mainly Carnivores (meat eaters) with their diet consisting mainly of fish, worms and insects. Some turtles (like Box Turtles) are Omnivores (meat and plant eaters, like us). Tortoises on the other hand live on dry land. While different Tortoises have different diets, they are all herbivores (plant eaters).

The body of a tortoise and a turtle both is shielded by a shell, the upper part of which is called Carapace and the lower portion is called Plastron. The Carapace and the Plastron are attached at the end by a bridge which means that though the head and limbs may be withdrawn from the shell, the whole body can never be totally detached from it. These reptiles are generally reclusive and shy in nature.

Months ago, I visited Thousand Island National Park, stretching 45 km
north into the Java Sea  The Hawk?s Bill Turtle can still be found.
This turtle is highly endangered and  Jakarta Animal Aid Network
(JAAN) strives to help protect them by the following methods:
1.      Removing dead woodlogs from beaches (they block sea turtles from
laying their eggs on the beach)
2.      Raising awareness about the status of this sea turtle and how local
people can help to protect them by distributing posters and providing
presentations
3.      Protection of turtle nests from predators sea turtles dig a hole
on the white beaches and we will fence off the nest to prevent human
and also animal predation.s
4.      Promoting better waste management recycling and stop littering in the sea
5.      Assisting the national park authorities with the rehabilitation of
wounded sea turtles
6.      Advising the national authorities on coast development

So, while some governments all over the world seem to be moving in a ?turtle pace? to cope with disaster issues, let us youth come together to preserve Turtle and Tortoise species in a human pace progress, because Turtles and Tortoises are some of the
most amazing and endangered animals on the planet.


http://jakartaanimalaid.com/blog/about-jaan/jaan-faq/
http://whitiespets.com/reptiles/turtles-tortoises/
http://www.diffen.com/difference/Tortoise_vs_Turtle