In Memory of Dr. Peter Pritchard
Dear friends,
Peter Pritchard's lifetime of work on turtles of all kinds was an immeasurable contribution to the world, and he was a source of inspiration to countless enthusiasts, biologists, and conservationists, myself included. His legacy lives on in all of us, and he is also immortalized through all his amazing publications - who among us does not have a tattered copy of "Encyclopedia of Turtles" somewhere on a shelf, or the stunning "Turtles of Venezuela" (my favorite)?
Peter was an enthusiastic supporter of the State of the World's Sea Turtles (SWOT) program since the very start. I often called him for ideas and assistance, and no one was ever as happy as Peter to be handed a new volume of SWOT Report when I'd see him. In honor of his legacy, we share below a collection of articles from the pages of SWOT Report over the past 15 years that Peter either wrote, co-wrote, or supported with information and quotes. We hope you enjoy them.
Thanks, Peter!!
Sincerely,
Rod Mast, and the SWOT Editorial Team
The Most Valuable Reptile in the World: The Green Turtle (SWOT, vol. 6)
By Peter C. H. Pritchard
“As the best recognized of the sea turtle species, the green turtle is an icon of popular culture today. Their image is seen on car window decals and T-shirts; they appear on the covers of tourism brochures, books, and magazines; and they even star in children’s movies. Once viewed primarily as a resource to be exploited, green turtles are now the centerpiece of a global conservation movement. The more we have learned about the green turtle, the more our opinion of them and their value has changed, and continues to change today.”
Shifting Shorelines: The Lesson of the Guianas (SWOT, vol. 3)
By Peter C. H. Pritchard
“Nearly a decade ago, I made a trip through the Guianas— three small, tropical countries on the northern coast of South America. From Georgetown, Guyana, I traveled east into Suriname and on to Cayenne, French Guiana. I traveled outward by small aircraft and returned overland by a complex formula of taxis, minibuses, and river ferries. I passed villages galore, with crowds of people of seemingly every race on Earth waiting for ferries or bargaining for vegetables. I journeyed through agricultural areas and sugar estates. The languages changed at every border— English Guyana-style, then Dutch and Taki-taki, and then French and Creole.”
Experts Define the Burning Issues in Sea Turtle Conservation (SWOT, vol. 1)
By Roderic B. Mast and Peter C. H. Pritchard
“A generation ago, a small group of conservationists recommended to the administrators of the brand new U.S. Endangered Species Act that certain marine turtles be listed as endangered. Despite very little data, the leatherback, Kemp’s Ridley, and hawksbill became the first sea turtles to be listed. Loggerheads, olive Ridleys and green turtles were added a few years later, after threats to sue the U.S. government over their exclusion were heeded. The flatback was included also, even though it is the least impacted of all the sea turtles, as there was a danger of fraudulent mislabeling of flatback products in trade. These early actions set in motion an incredible global cascade of events to prevent the extinction of sea turtles, and a small worldwide network of sea turtle protectors and scientists expanded to the multitude that we see today.”
New Riddle in the Kemp’s Ridley Saga (SWOT, vol. 10)
Sea Turtles of South America (SWOT, vol. 11)