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Earth Day Clean-up on Giftun Island

HEPCA is calling on our supporters to join us on April 22nd for the biggest Earth Day clean-up to date. We need every single pair of hands to help us collect the rubbish pile-ups that are destroying our environment. We love our Red Sea with its world-class biodiversity and want to do our part to protect it. Every year on Earth Day, more than one billion people from across the globe come together to take action to protect our planet earth. We are living in an exciting new era of activism and heightened environmental awareness, which is what makes Earth Day 2013 that much more special. By doing our part during this unique global event, we are ensuring that a message of environmental stewardship will resonate across the planet. Most importantly of all, this clean-up date coincides with the beginning of turtle nesting season in the Red Sea. Turtle nesting grounds are a sensitive habitat and in places like Giftun, these precious habitats are littered with plastic garbage that has proven to be lethal to turtles. “Giftun Kebir is known to be an important nesting site for critically endangered hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata). According to previous studies, it was estimated that an average of 200 female marine turtles use the north-eastern side of the island to nest. Hawksbill turtles are known to nest in the northern part of the Red Sea between May and august with two peaks, one at the end of May and the other in July. Each female turtle can lay eggs up to 5 times each year with an interval between one nest and the other of 12-14 days. Each nest can contain up to 150 eggs although the average number is usually around 60-70 eggs. Hawksbill turtles tend to nest in narrow beaches on islands or mainland shores with reefs impeding access from offshore and usually build nest under overhanging vegetation after extensive wandering on the beach.” The sustainable future of our planet relies on a clean and healthy ocean. Every little bit does make a difference and you can be a part of it! If you plan on joining us for the Earth Day Clean-up at Giftun Island, please contact shantel@hepca.org Event Date: April 22nd, 2013 Time: 10:00am We will be meeting on Monday 22nd of April at 10am in the New Marina (Hurghada), outside Papas Beach, from where we’ll take a boat to the island and back. We advise volunteers to bring: *Hat, to protect from the sunrays *Shoes, that are comfortable to wear on the beach and which can get wet *Gloves, if possible *Sun cream, applied generously before departure *water will be provided (drink plenty) It is good to remember that the cleanup will take place on the island and we will have to walk a little bit to the shore, so please bear in mind that anything you will wear might get slightly wet. يوم الارض- حمله نظافه جزيره الجفتون تدعو هيبكا مسانديها الى مشاركتنا فى الاحتفال بيوم البيئه العالمى فى يوم الاثنين الموافق 22 ابريل 2013 للقيام بأكبر حمله نظافه فى جزيره الجفتون كل عام فى نفس التوقيت يجتمع اكثر من مليار متطوع من جميع انحاء العالم لاتخاذ اجراءات حقيقيه لحمايه البيئه. بمشاركتنا العالم فى الاحتفال بهذا اليوم العالمى نؤكد على ريادتنا فى مجال حمايه البيئه يتزامن الاحتفال بيوم الارض بدايه موسم تعشيش السلاحف البحريه فى البحر الاحمرو التى تتأثر بشكل كبير بالتلوث و خاصه المخلفات البلاستيكيه و التى اثبتت تأثيرها المميت على السلاحف البحريه اثبتت الدراسات ان جفتون الكبير من اهم مناطق التعشيش للسلاحف البحريه المهدده بالانقراض و خاصه السلحفاه صخريه المنقار و التى يقدر عددها بحوالى 200 سلحفاه من الاناث تعتمد على الجزء الشمالى- الشرقى لوضع البيض من المتعارف عليه ان السلاحف صخريه المنقار تقوم بوضع بيضها فى الجزء الشمالى من البحر الاحمر من مايو الى اغسطس من كل عام. الاولى تبدا من اخر شهر مايو و الثانيه تبدأ فى شهر يوليو. تقوم انثى السلاحف البحريه بوضع البيض حوالى خمس مرات كل عام و تتراوح المده بينهم من 12- 14 يوم و يحتوى كل عش على 150 بيضه و فى المتوسط من 60- 70 بيضه الحمايه المستدامه للارض تعتمد على محيطات و بحار نظيفه. و اى جهد مهما ان كان صغير يلعب دور كبير فى الحفاظ على البيئه للمشاركه فى يوم الارض shantel@hepca.org 2013 التاريخ: 22 ابريل الميعاد: 10:00 صباحا مكان التجمع: امام "باباس بيتش" – المارينا الجديده – الغردقه ننصح المتطوعين بأحضار:- غطاء للرأس - احذيه مناسبه للمشى على البحر- قفازات - كريم واقى من الشمس-و سوف يتم امداد المشاركين بمياه صالحه للشرب طوال اليوم