But there is a U.

S based environmental organization that gives people the chance to catch sea turtles so they could be tagged and researched.

The cost is about $3000 per person.

You feel a connection with the sea turtles when you're swimming with them.

You know, it's just it's incredible.

It's an absolute incredible experience, truly, once in a lifetime for us.

Yeah, it is magical here.

I mean, the beaches are beautiful.

I've never in my life seeing water like in Alou Threat.

It really is one of the most beautiful places on planet.

I think I'm Catherine and this is David, and we're from Tampa, Florida, and we're here volunteering with Earthwatch Thio help research the sea turtles?

Yeah, I've always loved sea turtles growing up, I've always collected turtles and because they're an endangered species, Earthwatch is really the only way that we could get close to them.

You're so light.

We're just on the look out on the Earth watch website waiting for this trip to come up.

And then we signed up.

I just want to snuggle with you.

Probably biting.

He doesn't want to start with you.

413 Nice.

Just give a little cleanup.

My name is Animal Brooks, and I'm the these scientists for the tracking sea Tales in the Bahamas project with Earthwatch.

We have volunteers that come in and help me in the field going around.

So they're actually out there helping us capture the turtle so that we can cut the data that we need to answer some really important biological and ecological questions.

Mine, too.

Once we bring the turtles to the beach, we're measuring their shell.

We're measuring its head.

Were taking pictures of the sea turtles, a shell, a bottom of shell also then tagged them so that in the future, if we've recaptured in that individual will know exactly who they are, how much they've grown and how the developing.

So that gives us a huge amount of information.

There we go.

So that way, we're not gonna catch you again today.

Mr.

I'll see him upfront.

Yes, right there.

Yeah.

Catching a sea turtle is really difficult.

We're on a boat and we're kind of driving around in an area that we think there's going to be quite a number of sea turtles.

We'll spot a sea turtle will follow it in the boat.

On day, one person will jump off the boat with and they'll swim to try and be ableto catch the sea turtle turtles or 100% faster there much quicker underwater than I really thought.

But the best is when they're right below you when you're swimming over top of them and it's just like you and the turtle are swimming together and it's like I just I don't want to stop this like, yeah, let's just continue to swim like this.

But then you think like, OK, annabelle, you know, needs our help with this research, so, like I should I need to catch you now.

Okay, That's amazing thing about Earthwatch Expeditions is like working with scientists who have the permits and the skills to be able to do this work, get to do things that you would never be able todo I just can't.