SPECKS

I have some dear friends visiting me on the island.

A day or so ago I took them  to see the sea turtle rescue center.

The folks at the sea turtle rescue center do great work, rescuing thousands of sea turtle eggs each year and allowing them hatch safely and getting the newly hatched turtles to the ocean without fear of early predation. 

They also take "compromised" young turtles (like the young Kemp's Ridley pictured below) and rehab them until they are strong enough to fend on their own in a natural environment. 

But the story that captured my heart and admiration this particular visit involved a canine named "Specks".

Specks used to be a search and rescue dog in New Mexico. He personally (according to his owner) saved the lives of several young people on different occasions as well as proving invaluable in finding disaster victims. 

He had an illustrious career of service. And finally as he got a bit older was retired. He came to the island with his owner but seemed restless and not ready to lay and sleep his days away dreaming of his glory days. 

With an incredible nose for detecting scents his owner introduced Specks to the distinctive smell of sea turtle eggs. Specks has become an invaluable member of the sea turtle rescue's cadre of volunteers. This year along he sniffed out and found over 13 sea turtle nests, allowing human rescuers to save several hundred hatchlings.

Now I ask you, how cool is that?