In a place called Playa Grande, Costa Rica, the leatherback turtles return to nest each year.

It’s a magical place, a perfect tropical beach bordering beautiful blue waters of the Pacific Ocean. Hundreds of varieties of birds fill the air as soft ocean breezes blow.

It’s no wonder that this is the preferred nesting site of the leatherbacks.

The giant reptiles aren’t interested in such mundanities. Instead, they crawl out of the water, lay their eggs, and disappear back into the ocean.

But they are fighting a losing battle against the greatest predator, Homo sapiens.

Today’s Family First site is entitled The Leatherback Trust. Here’s its mission:

Leatherback Sea Turtles have been here for over 65 million years. They have witnessed the fall of the dinosaurs and the rise of humanity. Their habitat spans the globe from the North Atlantic near the Arctic Circle to the South Pacific around New Zealand. Extraordinary creatures, they hold important secrets about biology and medicine. Leatherbacks are the largest turtle, reaching a shell length of 1.7m and a mass of 700kg. In 1980 there were over 115,000 adult females, but there are now less than 25,000 worldwide, and they are close to extinction in the Pacific Ocean.

If action is not taken soon to protect leatherbacks in the ocean and on nesting beaches, the leatherback will disappear in our lifetime.

The magnificent creatures, the largest of the sea turtles, desperately need our help.

The fact is that these folks are doing an amazing work to preserve the leatherback turtle. They could use your help, too. Your tax-deductible contribution through PayPal can make a huge difference.

But whether or not you choose to help financially, you will still be amazed by the things you will learn about these giants.

For instance, did you know that their favorite food is jellyfish? Or that the temperature of the developing eggs determines the sex of the hatchling?

Also, read about what one seven-year old girl, Meghan Taschenberger, has done to single-handedly raise over $2000 to help the turtles.

Enjoy!

Do you have a Web site that you want reviewed on FamilyFirst.com? Click here to suggest a site to FamilyFirst.com!

[tags]family first,leatherback,turtle,playa grande,costa rica,endangered species,sea turtle,meghan taschenberger[/tags]