Plight of the Sea Turtles

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Plight of the Sea Turtles

• Photo courtesy of Turtle Trax C
  UKBPAB

2
Biology of Sea Turtles

• Well-suited to life in the sea
• Males rarely return to land
• Females only return to lay eggs
• Range from 85 to 2,000 lbs

Photo courtesy of Ray Carthy
3
Worldwide Turtle Species

• Loggerhead
• Green
• Leatherback
• Kemps Ridley
• Olive Ridley
• Hawksbill
• Flatback

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Biology of Sea Turtles

• Cannot retract heads far into shell
• Have lifespan of decades
• Tropic and temperate reptiles
• Carapace composed of scutes

• Photo courtesy of Turtle Trax

5
Nesting Biology

• Nest May-September
• Nest mostly at night
• 100 ping-pong ball size eggs
• May return several times a season
• Nest every 2-3 years
• Temperature of nest determines sex of young

Photos courtesy of Ray Carthy
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Nesting Behavior
Female turtles often appear to weep when nesting
Photo Courtesy of Ray Carthy
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Floridas Sea Turtles

• Sea turtle sampler
• Loggerhead
• Green
• Leatherback
• Kemps Ridley
• Hawksbill

Photo Courtesy of Turtle Trax C UKB PAB
8
Green Turtle

• Largely vegetarians
• 100 to 1000 nests
• Named for green body fat
• Average 350 lbs
• Average length 3.3 ft
• Olive brown, dark streaks and yellow plastron

Photo courtesy of Ray Carthy
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Many of Floridas green turtles have tumors
called fibropapillomas.

• Photo courtesy of Turtle Trax

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Ocular Tumors

• Photo courtesy of Turtle Trax

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Leatherback Turtle

• 3000 ft divers
• Regulate body temperature
• 30-60 nests

Photo Courtesy of National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration
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Leatherback Stats

• Average 6 ft in length
• Weigh 500 to 1,500 lbs
• Covered in firm, leathery skin
• Black with white, pink and blue spots
• Eat jellyfish
• Found in Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans

• Photo Courtesy of Ray Carthy

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Loggerhead Turtle

• Most common sea turtle in Florida

• Photo courtesy of National Oceanic and
  Atmospheric Administration

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Loggerhead Stats

• Average of 275 lbs
• About 3 ft in length
• Ruddy brown on top, yellow underneath
• Eats clams, crabs and other crustaceans
• Falls prey to sharks

Photo courtesy of Ray Carthy
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Mystery Illness

• Photo courtesy of UFCVM

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Kemps Ridley Turtle

• The Kemps Ridley is the rarest sea turtle in the
  world and is considered the most endangered

Photo courtesy of National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration
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Kemps Ridley Stats

• Weigh 85 to 100 lbs
• Measure 2 to 2.5 ft long
• Principal diet is crabs and crustaceans
• Only one major nesting beach called Rancho Nuevo
  in Mexico
• Fewer than 1000 nesting females remain
• Headstarted in Galveston, Texas

• Photo Courtesy of Ray Carthy

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Hawksbill Turtle

• The Hawksbill is a small, agile turtle whose
  beautiful shell is its greatest liability

• Photo Courtesy of National Oceanic and
  Atmospheric Administration

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Hawksbill Stats

• Adults weigh between 100 to 200 lbs
• Average of 30 inches long
• Black and brown markings on amber
• Oval-shaped body and distinctive jaws
• Sponges are preferred food
• Found in Atlantic, Pacific, Indian oceans

• Photo Courtesy of National Oceanic and
  Atmospheric Administration

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Threats to Turtles

• Artificial Lights
• Predators
• Driving on beach

Photos courtesy of Ray Carthy
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Lighting
Photos Courtesy of Ray Carthy
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Crows and Ghost Crabs
Photos courtesy of Ray Carthy
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Coyotes and Foxes
Photos courtesy of Ray Carthy
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Raccoons
Photo Courtesy of Ray Carthy
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Beach Driving
Photo by Margaret Lamont
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Additional Threats to Turtles

• Trawling
• TEDs
• Pollution

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Trawling
An estimated 11,000 turtles died before TEDs
were required
Photo courtesy of ACCSTR
28
TED
Required in 1989
Allowed turtles caught to escape through a trap
door
Photo Courtesy of ACCSTR
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Turtle Exclusion Device
Photo Courtesy of ACCSTR
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Pollution
Photo courtesy of Ray Carthy
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Coastal Impacts

• Beach Armoring
• Coastal Development
• Beach Renourishment

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Beach Armoring

• Seawalls, bulkheads, sandbags, etc.
• Degrade nesting habitat

• Photo courtesy of Florida Marine Research
  Institute

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Coastal Development
Photo courtesy of Ray Carthy
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Beach Renourishment

• Provides nesting habitat

• Might affect site fidelity

• Type and size of sand might affect nesting

• 90 projects are planned between 2000 and 2046

• Photo by Margaret Lamont

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Conservation Efforts

• Research done
• Organizations
• Laws and Statutes

• Photo courtesy of Turtle Trax

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Research

• Distribution, abundance, life histories
• Turtle deaths, disease, and their causes
• Identification of genetic stocks
• Sex-determination techniques
• Nesting ecology
• Effects of lights, beach armoring
• and renourishment

Photos courtesy of Ray Carthy
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Bureau of Protected Species Management
The Sea Turtle section

• Recovery program planning, management, and
  administration
• Coordination of research and management
  activities
• Habitat protection
• Education

• Photo Courtesy of National Oceanic and
  Atmospheric Administration

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Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

• Participates in decisions regarding sea turtles
  and habitat
• Reviews permits for coastal development
• Field evaluations
• Educational Activities

• Photo courtesy of Ray Carthy

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Florida Marine Research Institute
Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network

• FMRI staff responds or coordinates response to
  all reported turtle strandings
• Species, location, measurements, and anomalies
  are documented
• Fresh carcasses are retained for necropsy
• This info used to monitor and document mortality
  factors

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Laws and Statutes

• Federal Endangered Species Act
• Floridas Marine Turtle Protection Act
• Many county and municipality ordinances

• Photo Courtesy of National Oceanic and
  Atmospheric Administration

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How You Can Help
Photo courtesy of Ray Carthy
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Solutions To Decrease Light

• Turn off unnecessary lights
• Dont use decorative lights
• Face lights away from the beach
• Shield the light source
• Paint is a temporary solution
• Replace exposed light sockets with recessed

• Replace fixtures with directional fixtures
• Replace lights on poles
• Replace bulbs with sodium-vapor or bug lights
• Plant or improve vegetation buffers
• Use shielded motion lights
• Apply window tint or blinds. Move lights away
  from windows

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Sick, Injured or Dead Sea Turtle

• If you see a dead, sick or injured sea turtle
  call the Florida marine patrol at
• 1-800-DIAL-FMP or
• Contact FMRI turtle stranding staff by pager at
  1-800-241-4653 (ID 274-4867)
• Be prepared to answer the following questions

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Photo by Margaret Lamont

• What is the location of the turtle?
• Is the turtle alive or dead?
• What is the approximate size of the turtle?
• Is the turtle marked with spray paint?
• What is the location of the closest access point
  to the turtle?

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Summary

• Air-breathing reptiles
• Seven species of turtles five in Florida
• All are endangered or threatened
• Temperature of nest determines sex

• Photo by Margaret Lamont

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Summary

• Threatened in many ways coastal development,
  pollution, drowning in fishing nets, and light
  pollution
• Research has focused on females and hatchlings
• Protection remains a key goal in survival

• Photo by Margaret Lamont

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Acknowledgements
Developed by April Weaver and Dr. Mark Hostetler,
Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation,
IFAS, University of Florida In conjunction with
Dr. Ray Carthy, USGS, BRD, Florida Cooperative
Fish Wildlife Research Unit The Florida Fish
and Wildlife Conservation Commission The Florida
Marine Institute Environmental Defense National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Turtle
Trax University of Florida College of Veterinary
Medicine
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Acknowledgements
Photo credits Ray Carthy Margaret Lamont Turtle
Trax-Ursula Keuper-Bennett Peter
Bennett National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle
Research University of Florida College of
Veterinary Medicine