TURTLEY AWESOME RIVER RACE

•  Oceans cover 70% of the Earth’s surface, contain 97% of the earth’s water, and represent 99% of the living space on the planet by volume

•  About 50% of the Earth’s oxygen comes from the ocean. Globally, the ocean absorbs around 30% of the carbon dioxide produced by humans, buffering the impacts of global warming.

•  Coral reefs are also known as the “rainforests of the sea.” They cover less than 1% of the sea floor but contain 25% of all marine species.

•  Coral reefs are habitats for marine organisms such as lobsters and groupers and form nurseries for about a quarter of the ocean's fish.

Atlantis Paradise Island is committed to protecting, preserving, and improving the natural world – both above and below the sea.

Founded in 2005, the nonprofit Atlantis Blue Project Foundation sustains, protects, and supports marine species and their habitats throughout The Bahamas and surrounding Caribbean seas. Atlantis Blue Project supports scientific research, conservation programs, and community outreach efforts that are funded through every marine interaction and experiences.

•  Atlantis Blue Project and its partners helped establish 1.4 million acres of marine protected area on the west side of Andros Island. The area is now a protected safe haven for many of our native species. To date, over 19 million acres in the Bahamas are Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), representing 20% of our coastal habitats.

•  RECYCLE, REUSE, REDUCE! Join the movement to go plastic free by using less disposable plastic in our everyday lives.

•  Use reusable shopping totes, refillable water bottles instead of disposable plastic ones, and dispose of trash and fishing gear to prevent marine life entanglement or ingestion.

•  Plastic straws are among the top 10 items found during beach cleanups. They are not biodegradable and can be mistaken for food and ingested by turtles, seabirds and other marine life. Need a straw? Just ask. We have paper straws for your use.

•  PROTECT OUR SEAS - Coral is a fragile, living organism! Look for reef safe sunscreen and never touch the reef when snorkeling or diving.

•  What goes up, must come down! Balloons are fun, colorful, and easy decorations. But what really happens when they are released? They end up in our oceans, resembling marine life such as jellyfish and eaten as food items.