Sea Turtle Ambassadors
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Over the years, Ila realized that the crusade to help the sea turtles would extend beyond her own lifetime and as she interacted with the children who were fascinated by the creatures, she knew that they would be the leaders of the future, the legislators and policy makers, who would ultimately carry on her message to new generations long after she was gone.

As such, she referred to them as her ambassadors to the future on behalf of the sea turtles and did her best to impress upon them how important it is to ensure their survival.

"[The] young children will...tell their classmates, their teachers and friends about the turtles they saw. That way, more people will be getting the word."
                                                                ~ Ila Loetscher (1986)
To be true to Ila's strategy, The Turtle Lady Legacy also reaches out to the children and entrusts the future welfare of sea turtles to them as the new ambassadors to an uncertain tomorrow.
Click on any of the images below to view it in a larger format
Ila spends time with children in Rancho Nuevo
Ila Loetscher teaches a group of children about sea turtles
Ila enjoys a visit from her grand-nephew Victor Tous in 1971
Madeleine Sandefur and her grandson Dan at a sea turtle hatchling release at South Padre Island
Mary Ann Tous shows Nate a sea turtle hatchling in July of 2008
Austen Mattingly with Daniela and Edward Gonzalez at a sea turtle hatchling release on South Padre Island in 2008
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