Turtle turtle turtle.

Here's a quick update for all y'all. :)

Today was great! I had so much fun. I got to feed Challenger the Green Sea Turtle with my fellow intern Annie. He's absolutely massive. He's 22, and he's just now mature. He is part of a research project to see if they can be raised in human care and then released into the wild. So his part of the DQB facilities is gated directly to the ocean. They haven't released him yet, and won't be doing so for a few years, but since he's now mature, they'll start looking at him in a few years! So exciting.

Anyways, feeding him. You need a bucket, tongs, lettuce, and turtle cookies. (Turtle cookies are a Mazuri turtle food. They look like big brown pellets. Appetizing, I know- but he loves them) So one thing they stress when feeding Challenger is that you don't get your hands anywhere near his face. His beak is super sharp and he could do some serious damage to your finger. So that's what the tongs are for. He got 2 pounds of lettuce, and .75 lbs of turtle cookies. Also, since his enclosure connects to the ocean via a gate, lots of little fishies live in there with him. They've figured out it's a safe place since predators can't get in. But the little buggers are so ANNOYING. They try to take the lettuce from us. I think I accidentally 'tonged' a few fish... oops. That's what they get- it's Challenger's food!!

Anyways so that'll be an intern duty. Which I don't mind at all because he's a really cool turtle. BIG. But cool. And the rest of the day was spent doing normal intern duties and sitting in on programs. EEP. So basically that means that if the trainers needed to practice a behavior they'd pull an intern, have us sit on the submerged platforms, and let us do a couple behaviors with the dolphins. Whether it was set up the animal for a photo op, or set them up for a rub down. It was really fun. But man, those docks are hot on your feet! We kept pouring water on them so we wouldn't burn the bottoms of our feet.

Also, last night, unloading their 23,000 pound fish shipment?! I hurt SO bad. My back does not like me right now. But alas, they only get a shipment like that twice a year. And it was kind of interesting to see how it was done. But can I say, I am NOT a fan of hauling 60 lb boxes of capelin around. Stupid fish...

Anywho, tomorrow is my day off, and I'm traveling to Hamilton to get a bus/ferry pass and see some of the island! Woohoo!

Cockroach Check: We had one by the door last night when we came in from the fish shipment, and Melissa (cockroach killer extraordinaire) got it right away. She's a pro. :) Nasty bugs. Sick.