Right now Pacific Leatherback Turtles are racing across the Pacific Ocean, having laid their eggs on the beaches of California and, on the opposite side, in Indonesia. In a savvy effort to raise awareness of the struggling species (nearing extinction with less than 25,000 left), the Leatherback Trust has created The Great Turtle Race II to monitor and map 11 tagged turtles as they race 3,200 miles to the center of the ocean.

The race started on June 2nd and is already captivating. I'm rooting for Shelby, the largest female in the group (Leatherbacks reach 7ft and 2,000 pounds!) and a nonchalant racer--she spent the first three days eating jellyfish off the Oregon coast (see her in dark green, at right). Her peer Saphira II (in orange) was hot off the start and reached Hawaii after just three days, leaving her with 1,800 miles left to go and hopefully some really good Poke.

Beyond the adorable factor, the site has loads of educational information and ways to help. Children will like the games including Leatherback World and Meet the Turtles, while adults can donate, volunteer or take simple actions such as avoiding plastic bags, which end up looking like scrumptious jellyfish. Register to show your support. Go Shelby, go!