Last year we watched the loggerhead turtle named Raya (after the Disney heroine from the 2021 animated movie Raya and the Last Dragon) swim almost 1,000 miles to the Caribbean, with the sponsorship of the Disney Conservation Fund helping her along the way in the famous Tour de Turtles race.
Goodbye Disney Princesses, Hello Spiritual Beings
This year, Disney has upped its game by supporting two loggerhead turtles — and these turtles have some particularly haunting names!
In honor of the new Haunted Mansion movie (and, perhaps, in spite of its controversies), Disney Cruise Line is sponsoring a turtle named Madame Leota and the Disney Conservation Fund is sponsoring a turtle named Harriet.
Madame Leota, Is That You?
According to her profile on the Tour de Turtle website, Madame Leota “is a mysterious loggerhead sea turtle who has been swimming these waters for a long, long time. Like her namesake, she has tapped into the spiritual energy of this realm and beyond and has picked up on some sympathetic vibrations that this could be her time to shine in the race called Tour de Turtles.”
Disney’s conservation efforts, and the struggles that marine life face, were also highlighted in Madame Leota’s profile.
Pass on Single-Use Plastic!
“Navigating the seas has become much more treacherous, and it is harder than ever for a sea turtle to find food among the plastics in the ocean,” the Tour de Turtles site explained. Thankfully, there are some not-so-foolish mortals like the ones at Disney Cruise Line who are working hard to reduce single-use plastics and keep the waters clear.
Meet Harriet
The second Disney turtle is Harriet, who “is named after a psychic from New Orleans.” Apparently, Harriet “heard word in the spirit realm is that there’s a race going on.”
Tour de Turtles aimed a spotlight at another issue that challenges turtles in Harriet’s profile: light pollution, which “can seriously mess with a psychic’s vision and a sea turtle’s too as they rely on their vision to navigate the world.”
Turn Down Your Lights!
Light pollution can also cause huge problems for other migratory creatures, like birds, which is why people are encouraged to use as little artificial light as possible in their homes at night.
The “sea turtle-friendly lighting” at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort was mentioned, however, providing Harriet with a glimmer of hope!
To support Madame Leota, Harriet, and their fellow turtles, you can choose a turtle here and follow along with their migration!
Did you already know about the Tour de Turtles? Did you know about the involvement of the Disney Cruise Line and Disney Conservation Fund, as well?
