Nature: Wildlife (AMATEUR) - HONORABLE MENTION
Leatherback Sea Turtle Emergence at Grande Riviere, Trinidad
Photo © Marianne Hosein
Support this photographer - share this work on Facebook.
I was fortunate to capture these endangered leatherback sea turtle hatchlings emerging from their nest one July afternoon and being released at dusk at Grande Riviere beach, Trinidad.
Trinidad and Tobago has become arguably the largest leatherback sea turtle nesting location in the western hemisphere in the last decade mainly due to conservation efforts. Nesting leatherbacks can be found on Grande Riviere mainly between March and August annually while the hatchlings can be seen as they crawl out of their nests to the water from late April to October. It is during this journey that many of these vulnerable creatures are killed by predators (like the King Vulture, Magnificent Frigate Bird and stray dogs).
However, the commitment shown by residents like Mr. David McDonald and his family increases the likelihood of survival of this endangered species. David voluntarily spends his days during the nesting season combing the beach for hatchlings. He collects them and temporarily stores them in a cool, moist, safe enclosure he created on the beach before releasing them to crawl into the ocean at dusk, when there are much less predators.
Volunteers like David recognize the value of preserving our biodiversity. As we stand at the surf watching the hatchlings swim ferociously out to sea, we are hopeful that maybe in about 24 years, some of them will return to nest on Grande Riviere, perhaps with the future human generations accepting the responsibility that we now guard so dearly.
She initially started capturing images of nature for volunteer environmental education projects and more recently, eco-tourism. Trinidadian by birth, she loves photographing scenes with the golden tones of evening light.
Marianne’s and fellow photographer, Giancarlo Lalsingh's first photography exhibition was successfully held at Horizon’s Art Gallery (also their first venture in photography) between April 01 and 12 2014. She then participated in the Art Society of Trinidad and Tobago's (ASTT) May 2014, May and November 2015 Member Exhibitions, winning the People's Choice Award in November 2015. She is currently an ASTT Director.
Her work has been published in the United Nations Environmental Programme in Latin America and the Caribbean Newsletter (July-August, 2013), Daily Express (December 2013), Trinidad Guardian (December 2013), Discover Trinidad and Tobago 2014, Caribbean Beat (May-June 2015) and for the Chilean Government Publication on Pine Trees (August 2014).
In April 2014, Marianne was awarded first prize in the Society of Petroleum Engineers of Trinidad and Tobago (SPETT) 2014 Energy Resources Conference Photography Contest. Her work was again used for the SPETT 2016 Energy Conference.
Marianne’s photos are available for sale locally in Trinidad at various artisan markets.
BACK TO GALLERY
I was fortunate to capture these endangered leatherback sea turtle hatchlings emerging from their nest one July afternoon and being released at dusk at Grande Riviere beach, Trinidad.
Trinidad and Tobago has become arguably the largest leatherback sea turtle nesting location in the western hemisphere in the last decade mainly due to conservation efforts. Nesting leatherbacks can be found on Grande Riviere mainly between March and August annually while the hatchlings can be seen as they crawl out of their nests to the water from late April to October. It is during this journey that many of these vulnerable creatures are killed by predators (like the King Vulture, Magnificent Frigate Bird and stray dogs).
However, the commitment shown by residents like Mr. David McDonald and his family increases the likelihood of survival of this endangered species. David voluntarily spends his days during the nesting season combing the beach for hatchlings. He collects them and temporarily stores them in a cool, moist, safe enclosure he created on the beach before releasing them to crawl into the ocean at dusk, when there are much less predators.
Volunteers like David recognize the value of preserving our biodiversity. As we stand at the surf watching the hatchlings swim ferociously out to sea, we are hopeful that maybe in about 24 years, some of them will return to nest on Grande Riviere, perhaps with the future human generations accepting the responsibility that we now guard so dearly.
About author:
Marianne has spent more than 20 years exploring our planet with her beloved cameras. She firmly believes that photography is a powerful tool in education.She initially started capturing images of nature for volunteer environmental education projects and more recently, eco-tourism. Trinidadian by birth, she loves photographing scenes with the golden tones of evening light.
Marianne’s and fellow photographer, Giancarlo Lalsingh's first photography exhibition was successfully held at Horizon’s Art Gallery (also their first venture in photography) between April 01 and 12 2014. She then participated in the Art Society of Trinidad and Tobago's (ASTT) May 2014, May and November 2015 Member Exhibitions, winning the People's Choice Award in November 2015. She is currently an ASTT Director.
Her work has been published in the United Nations Environmental Programme in Latin America and the Caribbean Newsletter (July-August, 2013), Daily Express (December 2013), Trinidad Guardian (December 2013), Discover Trinidad and Tobago 2014, Caribbean Beat (May-June 2015) and for the Chilean Government Publication on Pine Trees (August 2014).
In April 2014, Marianne was awarded first prize in the Society of Petroleum Engineers of Trinidad and Tobago (SPETT) 2014 Energy Resources Conference Photography Contest. Her work was again used for the SPETT 2016 Energy Conference.
Marianne’s photos are available for sale locally in Trinidad at various artisan markets.
BACK TO GALLERY
