A boy releases a loggerhead sea turtle as part of Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium's turtle release programme...
A boy releases a loggerhead sea turtle as part of Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium's turtle release programme at Emerald beach in Motobu town, on Japan's southern island of Okinawa July 8, 2007. Loggerhead turtle numbers are declining due to various reasons, including pollution, garbage, especially indigestible plastics goods, and the development of breakwaters and beach fronts that deprives the turtles of egg-laying grounds, Konomi Maeda, the turtle keeper at the aquarium said. Over 1,700 turtles have been released over the past 17 years by the aquarium's programme, which aims to increase understanding of the turtles and raise awareness of marine environment conservation. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao (JAPAN)