seaturtle.org : MTN : ARCHIVES : Sign In

Marine Turtle Newsletter 5:56, © 1977

Final Approach to Bali Airport

Jeanne Mortimer
Department of Zoology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida U.S.A.

Last year I was a participant in a short tour of the Orient. Flying an altitude of 20,00 feet, our jet which contained 250 passengers, made its final approach to the, airport at Bali, Indonesia, and our tour guide was describing the glories of the island below, over the intercom system. She explained that everywhere we went people would be trying to sell us wood carving and tortoise-shell jewelry. "You should keep in mind", she said, "that it is illegal to bring tortoise-shell products into the United States. However, you could probably sneak in one or two little bracelets if you are careful". As a graduate student of Archie Carr, having been personally involved during the past few years in sea turtle conservation, I took this as an almost personal affront. I jumped out of my seat and headed for the front of the airplane, with my mother calling to me from her seat, "Jeanne, dear, please be tactful".

I explained to the tour guide that her comment had upset me. She suggested I get on the intercom myself, and explain my position. This I did. "My name is Jeanne Mortimer", I said. "I am a fellow tourist, and also a zoologist who has spent the last few years studying the ecology of sea turtles. I would like to urge you please, please not to buy any tortoise-shell products. There is a good reason why it is illegal to import these items. The hawksbill turtle, whose shell is used for this jewelry, is on the verge of extinction in every part of its range, simply because it is being killed for its shell and sold to tourists like yourselves. I would be the first to admit that tortoise shell jewelry is beautiful, but it is something we just have to do without. Please try to control yourself when someone offers to sell you some. Thank you".

There was applause in the airplane. On the way back to my seat several people called me to thank me for making such a statement. During each of the remaining seven days of the tour I was approached by people who said they were glad I had spoken as I had, that they hadn't realized that the situation was so serious, and that they really liked animals and didn't want to do anything to cause them to become extinct. I personally saw no one with any tortoise shell purchases.

This incident set me to wondering whether, when an endangered species is likely to appear in the tourist shops of a region to be visited, tour agencies the world over might not be willing to have the guides themselves make the same sort of plea I made.