Grand Bahama Island - The Bahamas Weekly News Team brings you an exclusive video intervew with Lawrence (Larry) Wood, specialist in the study of sea turtle and member of the team on the Explorers Club Flag Expedition project at Peterson's Cay National Park where they are mapping the surrounding reef system as part of the 2008 Coral Reef Initiative. This project began on location in August 2008 and was funded by the Grand Bahama Development Company. .

Listen to Mr. Wood as he discusses the importance of the conservation of sea turtles, and shares his enthusiasm around his research on the Hawksbill turtle.

A graduate of Florida Atlantic University ’s undergraduate and Masters programs, Mr. Wood has been working with sea turtles in South Florida for over 19 years.   He has had an interest in the study of amphibians and reptiles since an early age, and his fascination with turtles brought him to south Florida in the late 1980’s.

Since then, he has contributed to Florida ’s marine turtle protection efforts in many ways, including the establishment of standardized nesting surveys in northern Palm Beach County and the development of sea turtle rehabilitation facilities and educational programs.   He currently conducts the only in-water population study of Hawksbill turtles in the continental United States .

He has served as a spokesman for sea turtle and marine conservation for the local media and numerous domestic and international documentaries, and regularly leads eco-tours to remote locations in Central America to support marine turtle conservation projects.   He is a member of several professional organizations and the author or co-author of numerous scientific and professional articles and technical reports.