Anyong haseyo! That means “hello” in Korean. And my name is Gim II, which comes from the Korean word for seaweed. You might remember my distant cousin Gim I from last year’s Tour de Turtles. She has passed the torch on to me and I’m ready to make my extended family and sponsors at gimMe Snacks proud! While I race in this year’s marathon, I plan to spread the word about a very serious problem facing sea turtles here in Costa Rica and in many other Central American countries, and that is Egg Harvest for Consumption. Did you know that people still consume sea turtle eggs for food? In some cultures, the eggs are served during special occasion or are considered an aphrodisiac, but I’m here to tell you that it’s just not true! The only place my eggs need to be are in the sand, so that my hatchlings can grow healthy and strong before hatching and heading out to sea. I’m excited to swim off on an adventure and spread the word, so grab your gimMe seaweed snacks and pull up a chair because the Tour de Turtles begins now!

I was named by my Sponsor, Gimme. Check out my marathon migration map, where you can follow along as I swim to raise awareness about the threat of Egg Harvest for Consumption to sea turtles. Please help me raise awareness about my cause by supporting me!

Learn more about hawksbill sea turtles.