Keeping turtles safe
Craig Gun-Munro tagging one of the hawksbill turtles laying eggs in the sand.
By Marlon Madden | Sun, June 27, 2010 - 12:00 AM
‘Tis the season for turtle nesting, which starts June and ends September.
On average, an adult female will nest every two to four years, laying eggs three to five times per season. Studies have shown that she will nest on or near the same beach where she was born 20 to 30 years earlier.
The hawksbill turtle prefers to nest at night near or in natural beach vegetation in dry sand well above the high-water mark.
An adult hawksbill turtle ranges from between 150 to about 220 pounds and can reach a length of about three feet or just shorter than a metre.
Several weeks before nesting season the turtles mate at sea. When it is time to lay eggs, the female hawksbill will carefully make her way to shore to deposit her eggs in the sand – an average of about 150 leathery, ping-pong ball-sized eggs.
Before this she carefully searches for a safe spot and intricately digs what is called a nest (hole) about half a metre deep or as far as her back fins can reach. After that, she cautiously dumps her eggs in one by one.
Officials with the Barbados Sea Turtle Project recommend that no light be shone on or in the direction of the turtle during the nesting time.
“Lights that are visible from the beach will discourage females from nesting . . . Lights that shine on the beach should be lowered, shielded or redirected away from the beach,” stated a release.
Hawksbill turtles nest primarily on the West and South Coast beaches of Barbados.
After the female turtle lays her eggs, she then carefully, like any mother, seeks to protect the young ones. This female does so by compacting sand on the eggs, shielding them from any harmful elements and also giving them the correct temperature so they can hatch.
Putting the sand over the eggs is also seen as a way of disguising her nesting area.
This process was recently witnessed by a SUNDAY SUN team at the beach at Hastings Rocks, Christ Church, near the boardwalk.
Field volunteer Craig Gun-Munro said his duty was to measure the turtle and make notes of important data, including nesting location, while ensuring the nesting area was safe.
After the female has finished depositing her eggs, she makes her way back to the sea. It is said that when she leaves, she may never see or even know her hatchlings during the rest of her life time.
After about 60 days or so, the eggs are hatched and the young ones make their way to the sea so they, too, can continue this interesting process.
Hawksbill sea turtles are “critically” endangered, according to the Barbados Sea Turtle Project.
It is estimated that only one in 1 000 hatchlings will survive to adulthood – an age of 20 to 30 years old. And it is only then that they begin to reproduce.
A moratorium on sea turtle harvesting was introduced by Government in 1998, prohibiting persons from catching any species of sea turtle or possessing any turtle products such as meat, eggs or shells.
Penalties include fines of up to $50 000 and/or two years in jail.
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This story tugged at the old heart strings.Big up to Barbados for helping to preserve the life of theses amazing, beautiful creatures
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Comment LinkWas watching a turtle digging a nest a few weeks ago when a Police Patrol car drew up and directed the headlights onto the turtle. Despite my requests to turn the lights off they would not and as a consequence the turtle moved away and hurried back into the sea. Turtles do not like bright lights and flash photography is forbidden during egg laying. Turtles are dying from the oil pollution so we have to do all we can to help them… Barbados does a great job putting dim street light bulbs in nesting areas where turtles lay close to roads etc etc. Thank you Barbados Sea Turtle Project..Jade
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Comment LinkA few years ago whilst on holiday at Divi Southwind we had the privilege of helping hundreds of baby turles back to the sea. Thye were drawn by the lights of the hotel gardens and were heading inland instead of out to sea. It was one of the most amazing things to see. I hope most of them survived. Some years ago on St Marten a similar thing happened. My family has an affinity with turtles. Long may they survive.
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Comment LinkIt is nice to see these beautiful creatures . But have you ever had turtle soup or turtle eggs? yummy, yummy.
I do believe that God have given us these creatures to provide us with food as well, so even though it is great to preserve them i have been seeing enough of them in areas where they were never seen to make me think they are not as endangered as we are led to believe.
By the way like all other things that are replenished , turtles are as well.
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