August 25, 2005—"My man doesn't need turtle eggs," says a poster featuring Argentine model Dorismar, "because he knows they don't make him more potent."

The scantily clad beauty is the star of a new campaign aimed at protecting endangered sea turtles in Mexico. But women's rights groups aren't so sure sea turtles need Dorismar.

The Mexican government declared sea turtles a protected species in 1990. Poaching continues, however, partly because many Mexican men believe sea turtle eggs, eaten raw with a pinch of lime and salt, are aphrodisiacs. Black market trade in adult turtles' meat, flippers, and shells also helps keep the animals in peril.

California-based conservation group Wildcoast co-developed three posters featuring Dorismar, including this one released this week. Designed to denounce the turtle egg myth, the posters have drawn ire from women's rights advocates, who say the saucy images promote sexual stereotypes more than wildlife conservation.

—Victoria Gilman

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