August 2005 First Friday

Papa Tortuga: How One Man Can Make a Difference - An exhibit curated by Papa Tortuga producer and Writers’ Bloc studio member, Maggie Lineback

In his 20s, Fernando Monsanto saw a Jacques Cousteau documentary on the conservation of sea turtles. He had seen turtles on the beach of his own little village, Tecolutla, on the Gulf coast of Mexico, in the state of Veracruz. That first year, he found three nests. He took the eggs, protected them, and then released hatched turtles back to the sea. With little government aid, Monsanto has used his own money and the donations of friends to grow the program. After three decades, "Papa Tortuga" now has 300 nests, which produce about 30,000 turtles each year. Poaching almost doesn't exist in the area, because so many townspeople have themselves released the turtles into ocean.

Documentarians from Phoenix and Flagstaff are doing a film about Fernando Monsanto and his turtles. See stills and raw footage from their trip this spring.

When: August 5, 2005 from 6-10pm
Where: 902 N. Sixth Street (NW corner of Sixth Street & Garfield)

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