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Turtle nesting season slows to a crawl
By MARIANNE KLINGEL
Article published on Thursday, Aug. 2, 2007 |
GULF BEACHES – Local scientists responsible for monitoring and protecting sea turtles are concerned by a record low number of nests laid on Pinellas County beaches this year. Since the start of nesting season May 1, only 34 nests have been laid; a typical season has around 100 nests by this time, the mid-point of the season.
And it’s not just Pinellas County with low numbers; the entire West Coast of Florida is below average, a fact that has scientists worried and speculating what the cause of the slow season might be.
“The nesting numbers all around Florida are in decline,” said Tammy Langer, director of Sea Turtle Nesting and Rehabilitation at Clearwater Marine Aquarium. “We fear that mortality is increasing due to human-related factors such as long-line fishing and boat collisions, and this in turn reduces the number of females available to lay eggs.”
Scientists also speculate that natural causes such as the massive Gulf of Mexico die-off two years ago, and even devastation from Hurricane Elena 20 years ago could be affecting sea turtle populations. Because sea turtles may live 80 to 100 years, long-term cycles in the Gulf of Mexico could influence habitual nesting patterns.
The vast majority of sea turtles nesting on local beaches are Loggerheads, with an occasional Green or Kemp’s ridley sea turtle stopping by for an unexpected visit. All three are on the threatened species list.
Each summer during nesting season, Clearwater Marine Aquarium biologists monitor Pinellas beaches from North Clearwater south through Pass-A-Grille. Team members are on the beach by 6:30 a.m., seven days a week, looking for new nests. The nests are caged during the 55-60 day gestation period to prevent hatchlings from exiting the nest prematurely and heading toward civilization instead of the sea. When the hatching date draws near, specially trained CMA volunteers sit by the nest. They dig a trench from the nest to the water to help the tiny hatchlings on their first journey. When the nest erupts, the volunteers count the hatchlings, record all pertinent information about them, and guide them into the gulf.
All year-round, CMA also rescues injured sea turtles and recovers dead ones from near shore waters and beaches. Whenever possible, injured sea turtles are rehabilitated at the aquarium and released back to the wild. All the data collected helps scientists to learn more about the sea turtle populations in the gulf.
So far in 2007, CMA has recovered 15 live and 37 dead sea turtles. The dead animals were killed by a mixture of boat hits and other causes. Many of the animals were sub-adults and adults, a fact that may influence the overall population’s nesting potential.
Although scientists are worried, Langer reports that there is also good news.
“It has been a slow storm season this year. We have only had one washover during Tropical Storm Barry, and that nest, which was located on Belleair Beach, survived. Also, the females that are nesting are doing a very good job of nesting high on the beach, which reduces the need to relocate nests.”
Dim the lights
Progress also has been made on beach lighting issues, with several communities making significant reductions. Residential and commercial lights pose dangers because they can distract both adult and hatchlings away from the gulf and draw them toward dangers of roads, swimming pools, and predators. Darkened beaches improve the odds for the primeval creatures. CMA has been working closely with Nicole Elko, the county’s coastal coordinator, to survey and correct many problem areas.
“Clearwater Beach has made significant improvements. Redington Shores now has a lighting ordinance and both Belleair Beach and St. Pete Beach are working on one,” Elko said. “These ordinances require the public to shield beach lighting during nesting season, with improperly lit properties cited for failure to comply. The communities have been very cooperative in working toward the sea turtles’ survival.”
The majority of the 2007 nests are clustered to the north on Belleair Beach and Indian Rocks Beach. Langer describes this clustering as a normal pattern, explaining that each year a certain area seems to be more popular with the mothers-to-be. This may be due to the different instincts of the different females coming in to nest in their two-to-three year cycle.
Sea turtle nesting season continues through September. Both local and state scientists will continue to watch the situation closely and collect data in an effort to better understand the decline in nests and its possible causes. The public is encouraged to respect any females seen nesting by observing them quietly from a distance without flashlights or flash photography. Those having information about nests or hatchlings, or any sea turtle in distress, should call the CMA sea turtle program at 441-1790, ext. 224.
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Article published on Thursday, Aug. 2, 2007
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