"Star Lanka Online" Our NEW Web site And Web TV Channel Launched

TFGE , The Future Global Educational Center Has Launched
the official web site, called
*** Star Lanka Online Dot Com ........................

www.starlankaonline.com will be completed in very near future....

*** Star Lanka Online TV Channel,..................

Just One Click ahead ...

Now you can watch "Star Lanka Online TV" channel broadcasts from Matara, Sri Lanka in most part of the day. Still we are keeping a test transmission also. There is a link right side of your hand to watch our TV channel. You can watch (Click On the Box) live channel on this site without going to another site to watch the TV. and also recorded parts, following the below link.

Place your Own Ad Here

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Underwater giant on the brink

Underwater giant on the brink

Background

The leatherback turtle has survived for more than a hundred million years, but is now facing extinction. Recent estimates of numbers show that this species is declining precipitously throughout its range, particularly in the Pacific over the last twenty years: as few as 2,300 adult females now remain making the Pacific leatherback the world's most endangered marine turtle population.

Although Atlantic populations are rather more stable, models predict that they, too, will decline due to the large numbers of adults being killed accidentally by fishing fleets. In the Atlantic, the fact that they are widely distributed during the migration process and that they do not dive very deep increase the risk of interaction of leatherback turtles with longline fisheries.

WWF is working to conserve leatherback turtles and their habitats in Central and South America, and the western Pacific through concerted pan-Pacific and trans-Atlantic approaches that aim to protect critical nesting beaches and migratory pathways. This is being achieved by:

  • protecting nesting beaches and nearshore habitats by establishing and strengthening sanctuaries and wildlife refuges;
  • raising awareness so that local communities will protect turtles and their nests;
  • promoting regional agreements to conserve marine turtles;
  • reducing longline bycatch through promoting and facilitating gear modification, using new migration and genetics information to develop and trial management measures and ensuring that any traditional take is sustainable.

Physical Description

The leatherback turtle is the largest marine turtle and one of the largest living reptiles. Leatherbacks are one of the most migratory of all marine turtle species, making both trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific crossings. They are easily distinguished by their carapace, which is leathery, not hard as in other turtles, and by their long front flippers.

Leatherbacks have a unique system of blood supply to their bones and cartilage. This enables their body temperature to stay several degrees above the water temperature and allows them to tolerate cold water, rather like a mammal. They can dive to depths of up to 1,200m, much deeper than any other marine turtle.

Recent DNA analysis confirms that Atlantic and Pacific populations are genetically distinct lineages of a single species. In turn, nesting Pacific leatherback populations are separated into two genetically distinct populations (eastern and western populations).

A leatherback was recorded to have descended to a maximum depth of 1,230 metres, which represents the deepest dive ever recorded for a reptile.

Range States

Albania, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Brazil, Cayman Islands, China, Colombia, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cote d'Ivoire, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Eritrea, Fiji, Fench Guiana, Ghana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Liberia, Malaysia, Martinique, Mexico, Montserrat, Mozambique, Myanmar, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Taiwan, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, United States, Venezuela, Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.S.

Ecological Region

Mediterranean Sea, Northeast Atlantic Shelf Marine, Southern Australian Marine, Benguela Current, Humboldt Current, Agulhas Current, Western Australia Marine, Gulf of California, Canary Current, Sulu-Sulawesi Seas, Bismarck-Solomon Seas, Banda-Flores Sea, Great Barrier Reef, Palau Marine, Andaman Sea, East African Marine, West Madagascar Marine, Mesoamerican Caribbean Reef, Southern Caribbean Sea, Northeast Brazil Shelf Marine.

Why is this species important?

As a major jellyfish predator, the leatherback turtle provides natural ecological control of jellyfish populations. Overabundance of jellyfish may reduce fish populations as jellyfish can feed on fish larvae and reduce population growth of commercially important fish. Hence, the presence of leatherback turtles benefits fish, fisheries and people.

Interesting Facts

The biggest ever recorded leatherback turtle was a male stranded on a Welsh beach that reached 256 cm long and weighed 916 kg.

Sri Lankan President, Mahinda, among top five in The WORLD

Sri Lankan President among top five in The WORLD

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has been voted among five most attractive persons in the world, through a worldwide voting on Internet by the prestigious Time Magazine. The 2011 survey was carried out to find out how the Time worldwide web readers picks the most influential 100 people in the world.

Though official voting for inclusion on the TIME 100 list ended over the weekend with South Korean pop icon on top, surfers on Time website could continue to vote for their favourites until the final list, selected by Time editors, is announced on Thursday (21).

At the time of going to press last night, President Rajapaksa was ranked fifth with a staggering 108,085 people voting him to be the most influential person in the world.

There have been many commendable messages by thousands of voters who have hailed President Rajapaksa as a truly influential leader who put a permanent end to a three decade long terrorism and liberated innocent civilians with an inspirational political leadership.



Rain


Jay Chou


Susan Boyle


Cheng Yen

The Lankan President is the only politician to secure a topmost slot on his debut appearance in the Time 100 Most Influential personalities annual contest. In contrast, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, making his third appearance in Time 100 Voting, could secure only the 73rd place.

In a significant pattern of voting, US President Barack Obama was placed only 46th, slightly ahead of his country's State Secretary and former First Lady Hillary Clinton (43rd) and Burmese political icon Aung San Suu Kyi (39th). However, the founder of the controversial WikiLeaks website which became popular overnight after leaking confidential state reports, Julian Assange was placed 11th.

Finishing on top when the official voting ended was Rain, the Korean sensation who has been making waves in his native country for years. His catchy beats and hot dance moves have made his popularity soar internationally. He has polled a mammoth 434,992 votes. In the second place is Taiwanese director-singer-songwriter Jay Chou with 227,094 votes.

The 32-year-old has already conquered Asia with his sweet tunes and sultry style.

Singer Susan Boyle is placed third with 160,457 votes. Boyle certainly couldn't have dreamed the dream she's been living since she showed off her pipes and stunned the skeptical judges on Britain's Got Talent two years ago.

The journey from anonymity to stardom has brought her two multiplatinum No. 1 albums, a book deal and an exhaustive media tour across the world.

Cheng Yen, a 73-year-old Buddhist nun and philanthropist is placed fourth. Widely considered Chinese world's Mother Teresa, she runs the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, one of Asia's largest charities.

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