Kermit and Miss Piggy Join the Tour de Turtles!

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And they’re off!

On August 1—a month and a half after the “leatherbacks only” heat of the annual Tour de Turtles set off on their “migration marathon”—the chelonian (hard shell) competitors began their own race.

This year, the chelonian heat includes two very familiar names. Miss Piggy, a loggerhead sea turtle sponsored by Disney Cruise Line, and Kermit, a green sea turtle sponsored by Disney Conservation. Both turtles departed from their nesting sites at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort in Vero Beach, Florida, and were named in honor of the release of Muppets Now on Disney+.

The hottest competition on four flippers, the Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC) has been hosting the Tour de Turtles each year since 2008. Through the use of satellite telemetry, the Florida-based non-profit follows more than a dozen sea turtles over the course of approximately three months as they travel from their nesting beaches to their foraging grounds. The unwitting competitors swim with the goal of being the first turtle to travel the furthest distance. (If you haven’t been following the leatherbacks race, Freckles is currently in the lead by more than 300 miles.)

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Of course, the Tour de Turtles isn’t only about winning. Each turtle also swims to raise awareness about a threat that sea turtles face each day. Miss Piggy is swimming to raise awareness about harmful plastic debris in our world’s oceans, and to encourage fans to help clean up waterways and reduce plastic waste. Kermit is competing to raise awareness about artificial light pollution on nesting beaches.

To follow Miss Piggy, Kermit, and their friends, visit TourDeTurtles.org.