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Filled with reverence and wonder for the natural world, this captivating book reveals the secret life of sea turtles, one of the oldest living creatures on Earth, and the story of one female scientist's fight to save their future.
In 2015, a team of researchers carefully removed a plastic straw from a sea turtle's nostril off the coast of Costa Rica. The disturbing incident, which was captured on video, went viral, leading to corporate straw bans around the world. In this evocative book, reminiscent of Jane Goodall's memoir In the Shadow of Man, the marine biologist behind the camera, Christine Figgener, recounts her own life spent studying and protecting sea turtles.
From the time she was a young girl, Figgener was determined to become a biologist, and study the marvels of the marine world. In My Life With Sea Turtles, she shares how she went from a small, gray town on the edge of industry to the lush coastline of Costa Rica, where she fell in love with the local environment and its famous residents: the sea turtles.
Figgener describes patrolling the beach at night, swimming with turtles in the open ocean, watching tiny turtles emerge from sandy nests, and risking her life during tropical storms. We learn about her experience as a woman in conservation, a male-dominated space where she struggles to be taken seriously. Through discovering the fascinating science of sea turtles and the threats they face today, readers will be inspired to live their own lives differently to ensure the survival of these magnificent creatures.
Originally published in German in 2023 as Meine Reise mit den Meeresschildkröten by Piper Verlag.
1. From the Nest Out Into the World
2. Diving in a Sea Turtle Kindergarten
3. Coming of Age
4. You Are What You Eat
5. The Voyages of Sea Turtles
6. Sea Turtle Love
7. Homecoming
8. The Life of a Sea Turtle Biologist
9. A New Generation
Christine Figgener was born in 1983 in Haltern am See and grew up in Germany's industrial Ruhr valley. After studying biology in Tubingen and Wurzburg, she earned a PhD in marine biology from Texas A&M University. Christine has lived and worked in Costa Rica since 2007, researching sea turtles and fighting for their protection. Her video of the painful removal of a plastic straw from a sea turtle's nose went viral and catalyzed the global debate about single-use plastics that led to them being banned in many countries. For her science communication and outreach efforts, Time magazine honored her as a Next Generation Leader in 2018. She founded and leads COASTS (the Costa Rican Alliance for Sea Turtle Conservation and Science) and the consulting firm Namaka Conservation Science, both devoted to researching and conserving sea turtles. "As long as I am breathing, I will try to make a difference." Christine Figgener, Time magazine
"This memoir brims with natural beauty [...] an essential compendium that will provide readers with insight into the life of a marine biologist and a true appreciation of the wonder of sea turtles."
– Shelf Awareness, starred
"[C]aptivating [...] Part memoir, part science reporting and part conservationist tract, Figgener's illuminating My Life With Sea Turtles sheds light not only on the beauty and mystery of sea turtles, but also on the urgent need to save them."
– BookPage
"Of interest to young wildlife enthusiasts and experienced sea turtle biologists alike."
– Terry M. Norton, DVM, Diplomate ACZM, Board Certified Specialist in Zoological Medicine, Lead Veterinarian at the Turtle Hospital in Marathon, Florida and Founder of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, Jekyll Island, Georgia
"Protecting endangered sea turtles – and anything else we care deeply about – requires attention to both the little things and the big picture, persistence, patience, creativity, resilience, fearlessness, and wild, unstoppable love."
– Wallace J Nichols, author of Blue Mind
"In My Life With Sea Turtles, Christine Figgener has given us part memoir, part field guide. But more importantly she has given us a way to fall in love with sea turtles and their world, a world we share – and indeed a world that includes us. And nothing is more in need of love than that."
– Carl Safina, author of Voyage of the Turtle, Alfie & Me, and Becoming Wild
"A wonderful read to enter the world of sea turtles [...] Christine's deep love for turtles comes through on each page."
– Craig Foster, My Octopus Teacher
"A wonderful book that will appeal to anyone interested in the world around us."
– Dr. Jane Goodall
"One thing is for sure about Christine's works is that the lives of thousands upon thousands of these incredible Sea Turtles have survived, lived, and thrived as a result of this one dedicated person. The [book is a] glimpse into something most of us will never touch. Christine is bringing us into her world of sea turtles to find the miraculousness that happens when one person is dedicated to making a difference."
– Darin Olien, author and co-host with Zac Efron of the Netflix series Down to Earth
"The life of a sea turtle is fraught with danger but if I was a sea turtle, I'd want Christine Figgener on my side."
– Dr George McGavin, zoologist, author, and broadcaster, presenter of the BBC documentary Nature's Turtle Nursery: Secrets From the Nest
