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In August, I mentioned the junior interns, Keona and Bernard, both of whom have worked with the Learning through Loggerheads program for two years, now. It was wonderful to get to know them over the summer and, luckily, I was able to interview them before the start of school. 

Both 15-year-old  interns first heard about the program when Meg came to their school to talk about the Loggerhead sea turtles.   Bernard decided to join the Learning through Loggerheads program because of his interest in animals and his desire, at that time, to become a zoologist. Keona, however, didn’t know at that time that she, too, would soon have an interest in animals. But after Meg talked to her class about the turtles, Keona decided to apply to the program to learn more about the sea turtles that lay their eggs on Botany Bay Island.

So far, when asked what his favorite aspect about the Learning through Loggerheads program is, Bernard responded, “I like knowing that I am helping the turtle population, by making sure that each turtle gets safely to the ocean”. 

Keona was most astonished by the means used to search for turtle nests. “I was surprised when I discovered that we had to find a hole, the size of a quarter that would tell us where the nest is”. The nests are generally quite large, depending on the size of the turtle, but, thankfully, the turtle leaves signs as to where the eggs might be, such as loose beach grass, or flipper prints in the sand.

Keona and Bernard both believe that someone with little or no experience should not be discouraged from applying to this program. Bernard says, “You will learn a lot about Loggerheads and why the program exists. You will see all of the important things that this program does to save the turtles.”

                Both interns have proven that the experiences on Botany Bay Island are not limited. Keona said, “I love seeing how high the tide can get and how many different animals can live on the island”. Bernard was one of the fortunate ones who got to see a mother Loggerhead come ashore to lay her eggs. I (Katie) still hope to see that someday. I love seeing the baby turtles that hatch out of the eggs, but I think it would be interesting to see the actual mother turtle that comes on the beach to lay those eggs. 

                I was very glad to have met Keona and Bernard over the summer and, hopefully, any new interns to the program will get to meet them too. Both are dedicated, hard-working people, committed to the conservation of Loggerheads and that is evident to anyone who spends even just one day with them.