Thabo the Sea Turtle

The Serengeti, a place where lions roar, elephants trumpet, and wild beasts thunder, with towering ancient oak, gnarled branches reaching towards the heavens like outstretched arms. However, there lay a hidden secret that only those attuned to nature could perceive.

Beneath the waves, lived an old green sea turtle named Thabo, who had roamed the oceans for decades, with age comes wisdom and Thabo had witnessed firsthand the wonders and challenges of marine life.

Thabo had seen the ocean change over the years, from the bustling coral reefs teeming with life to the barren stretches of seabed ravaged by pollution and overfishing she watched as human activities encroached upon the pristine beaches where she and her kind had nested for generations. Thabo glides gracefully through the crystal-clear waters, encountering a tangled mass of plastic debris drifting lazily on the surface of her home. The once-pristine ocean was now littered with trash—discarded bottles, bags, and other debris that posed a grave threat. Along the way, she encountered countless other sea creatures who had fallen victim to the scourge of human pollution.

Thabo soon realized that pollution was just one of many threats facing her beloved ocean home. Habitat destruction, climate change, illegal trade, bycatch, and boat strikes—all posed grave dangers to the delicate balance of life beneath the waves. Poachers continued to target sea turtles and their eggs, despite the laws put in place to protect them. Fishing fleets cast their nets indiscriminately, ensnaring sea turtles in their deadly embrace. And the relentless march of coastal development threatened to destroy what little remained of their natural habitat. How then can Thabo’s family be conserved?

Poem
Wildlife sees Man as a walking beast, 
Who visits only when he needs to feast
Beneath the seas and upon the air, 
Man only causes fear.

Behold the sea turtle ancient and wise, 
With a shell that glitters under the skies,
to human ears, their language may seem,

Like whispers in a tranquil dream,
Amidst the reefs and forest of kelp, 
They find solace with the oceans help, 
Foraging for food with graceful glide, 
Their survival dependent on the oceans tide.
The message is clear,
A cry for help, a plea sincere.

Priscilla Ibadin

Guest Content Writer on African Climate Stories.