The earliest ancestor of modern day sea turtles appeared about 120 million years ago. Interestingly, these species laid hard-shelled eggs, as opposed to the soft-shelled eggs that we see now. Then a big mass extinction event around 66 million years ago wiped out about 50 percent of plants and animals. But not these guys – sea turtles managed to survive! When asked 'Why sea turtles?', Dr Martin Stelfox, founder and CEO of Olive Ridley Project declares that he finds sea turtles ‘absolutely fascinating’. In this inaugural episode Martin sets the stage and introduces sea turtles, diving into their extraordinary evolutionary history, the complex roles they play in the marine ecosystem, the threats they face, and how these challenges have spurred the work of the Olive Ridley Project. Interestingly, Martin also discusses the scope for leveraging AI in sea turtle rehabilitative care – a compelling topic for those interested in employing technology for conservation. But that’s not all, Martin then sheds light on the seldom-seen, often harrowing mating rituals of sea turtles, highlighting the resilience of these creatures. The illuminating conversation takes a personal turn towards the end, as Martin shares his perspectives on the current shortcomings of sea turtle conservation practices and expresses his hopes for the future. Links for additional reading: How the turtle got its shell: A quick look into the evolutionary history of sea turtles, centred around their most recognisable feature - the shell! What are Ghost Nets Tracing the origin of olive ridley turtles entangled in ghost nets in the Maldives: A phylogeographic assessment of populations at risk Using Photo-ID to document and monitor the prevalence of fibropapilloma tumours in a foraging aggregation of green turtles How do sea turtles mate? A quick read and some very rare footage Community in Sea Turtle Conservation Webinar: Perspectives from the Global South We would love to hear your questions, comments or suggestions about the podcast. Email us at: [email protected] Visit: https://oliveridleyproject.org/ to learn more about sea turtles. Olive Ridley Project (ORP), a charity founded in 2013, is on a mission is to protect sea turtles and their habitats through rescue and conservation medicine, scientific research, and education and outreach. To support Olive Ridley Project’s work in sea turtle conservation, you can, Name and Adopt a wild sea turtle, Adopt a turtle patient or Donate here: https://oliveridleyproject.org/donate Follow us on...