The cold snap plaguing large areas of the Tar Heel state is causing problems for sea turtles, who have begun washing up on shore in large numbers after being stunned by quickly-dropping water temperatures.
As of Thursday morning, 19 marine reptiles - three loggerheads, 16 green turtles - had been found on regional beaches, mostly in the Cape Lookout area.
Twelve of the green turtles died Wednesday night, but Jean Beasley, director of the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in Topsail Beach, said the rest of the group was showing some signs of life.
"I think within 72 hours we should have a pretty good idea," Beasley said late Wednesday. "It's going to take us a while to warm these turtles up."
Because reptiles, including turtles, can't regulate their own body heat, they're susceptible to sudden, drastic shifts in water temperature.
"If it's a gradual lowering of temperature, they can survive and do pretty well," Beasley said. "But if they've been at 78 degrees and it drops into the lower 60s, they are probably going to stun."
Cold-stunned turtles appear extremely lethargic and in some cases will stop moving entirely as more of their blood supply diverts to the core of their bodies, a condition Beasley said is a relatively common occurrence in North Carolina during the winter months.
"Last year, we had up over 150, and we had quite a few that died," she said. "The longer they're exposed to the severe cold, the bigger impact it's going to have on their basic systems, their core body and their vital organs, so the sooner we can get them the greater chance they have."
To recover from a cold stun, sea turtles must be warmed gradually. Raising their core temperature too quickly can result in a reverse shock, which can kill them, Beasley said. And though the extreme cold weather has passed, turtles may continue to wash up on shore in the coming days.
"We'll still have the hangers-on. Those that are under the docks will be showing up on shore, but hopefully we're not going to have another major event," Beasley said.
If you find a cold-stunned turtle on the beach or in shallow water, call the Topsail Beach facility at (910) 470-2800 or (910) 470-2880, or the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network at (252) 241-7367.
If the turtle is small enough to be moved, Beasley recommends placing it in a garage or carport and covering it with a towel.
"Just keep them out of the weather, but do not start warming them up," she said. "As soon as those numbers are called, we'll have somebody out to get the turtles."
Showing posts with label sea turtles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sea turtles. Show all posts
Monday, January 30, 2012
Monday, October 3, 2011
The world's most threatened and healthiest sea turtle populations revealed
Turtles under serious threat in Indian Ocean - Nearly half of the world's most endangered turtles found in northern Indian Ocean
September 2011: Almost half - 45 per cent - of the world's most threatened sea turtle populations are found in the northern Indian Ocean, according to a new study.
The team of top turtle experts also determined that the most significant threats across all of the threatened populations of sea turtles are fisheries bycatch, accidental catches of sea turtles by fishermen targeting other species, and the direct harvest of turtles or their eggs for food or turtle shell material for commercial use.
The recent report, produced by IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Marine Turtle Specialist Group (MTSG) and supported by Conservation International (CI) and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), is the first comprehensive status assessment of global sea turtle populations. The study evaluated the state of individual populations of sea turtles and determined the 11 most threatened populations, as well as the 12 healthiest ones.
Read on...
September 2011: Almost half - 45 per cent - of the world's most threatened sea turtle populations are found in the northern Indian Ocean, according to a new study.
The team of top turtle experts also determined that the most significant threats across all of the threatened populations of sea turtles are fisheries bycatch, accidental catches of sea turtles by fishermen targeting other species, and the direct harvest of turtles or their eggs for food or turtle shell material for commercial use.
The recent report, produced by IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Marine Turtle Specialist Group (MTSG) and supported by Conservation International (CI) and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), is the first comprehensive status assessment of global sea turtle populations. The study evaluated the state of individual populations of sea turtles and determined the 11 most threatened populations, as well as the 12 healthiest ones.
Read on...
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
'Heat-Proof' Eggs Help Turtles Cope With Hot Beaches
ScienceDaily (Sep. 26, 2011) — Sea turtles face an uncertain future as a warming climate threatens to reduce their reproductive viability. However, new research led by the University of Exeter and published this week in Proceedings of the Royal Society B shows that some turtles are naturally heat-tolerant.
The study focused on green turtles nesting on Ascension Island, a UK overseas territory in the South Atlantic Ocean. Scientists from the Universities of Exeter and Groningen found that eggs laid by turtles nesting on a naturally hot beach withstand high temperatures better than eggs from turtles nesting on a cooler beach just a few kilometres away.
The warmer beach has dark sand, whereas the neighbouring beach is two to three degrees Celsius cooler because it has white sand. Green turtles travel from the coast of South America to the tiny island to nest. Most female turtles nest on the beaches where they themselves hatched, so populations can become adapted to specific nesting locations.
The researchers placed some of the eggs laid on each beach into incubators of either 32.5 degrees Celsius or 29 degrees Celsius and monitored their progress. They found that the eggs from the warmer beach were better able to thrive in the hot incubator than those from the cooler beach.
Read on....
The study focused on green turtles nesting on Ascension Island, a UK overseas territory in the South Atlantic Ocean. Scientists from the Universities of Exeter and Groningen found that eggs laid by turtles nesting on a naturally hot beach withstand high temperatures better than eggs from turtles nesting on a cooler beach just a few kilometres away.
The warmer beach has dark sand, whereas the neighbouring beach is two to three degrees Celsius cooler because it has white sand. Green turtles travel from the coast of South America to the tiny island to nest. Most female turtles nest on the beaches where they themselves hatched, so populations can become adapted to specific nesting locations.
The researchers placed some of the eggs laid on each beach into incubators of either 32.5 degrees Celsius or 29 degrees Celsius and monitored their progress. They found that the eggs from the warmer beach were better able to thrive in the hot incubator than those from the cooler beach.
Read on....
Monday, September 5, 2011
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Orthodontist finds odd patient: 171-pound green sea turtle
Orthodontist Alberto Vargas calls Andre, a 171-pound sea turtle that he fitted with a set of braces, a very strange patient.
"I'm not aware of this ever being done on a turtle before. We changed the shape of his shell, just like we change the shape of a patient's jaw," said Vargas, who performed the work for free.
Named after the gentle giant wrestler, Andre was found in June 2010 stranded on a sandbar about a mile-and-a-half south of the Juno Beach Pier. Swimmers floated the endangered green sea turtle to shore on a boogie board. They called the Loggerhead Marinelife Center for help.
Boat propellers had gouged two holes in the green turtle's shell. The bigger gash, about two inches deep and packed with about three pounds of sand, was the size of an adult forearm. The other was as big as a baseball.
"I found a live crab inside," said Melissa Ranly, Marinelife hospital coordinator.
Andre's problems were just starting. He had a collapsed lung. Pneumonia. Exposed spinal cord. Severe infections.
"We didn't think he had a chance," said Tom Longo, marinelife communications manager.
Undaunted, turtle experts at the center gingerly cleaned the wound. They covered it with a black foam and clear plastic to promote healing. Andre's shell was hooked up to a plastic tube that uses negative pressure to promote new skin growth and knock out infection supplied for free by San Antonio-based Kinetic Concepts Inc.
"It was never tried on a turtle before," said Mike Barger, Kinetic spokesman.
That's where Vargas came in.
Using braces like bridges to either side of the wound, the orthodontist pushed and pulled Andre's shell to promote growth. Each day, caregivers twisted a key that clicked to adjust the braces. He coaxed the shell to expand about one inch.
"We lessened the size of the hole," said Vargas, whose office is in Abacoa.
And now after 13 months of treatment, Andre is ready to be released. His skin underneath the foam, once fully exposing organs, is now hard enough to survive in the depths of the Atlantic. Green turtles grow up to about 400 pounds and live 80 years.
"Andre has a real spirit. That's what got him through this. We'll miss him," said Brittany Jo Miller, spokeswoman for the Loggerhead Marinelife Center, a nonprofit agency that rehabilitates injured and sick sea turtles.
By Bill DiPaolo, The Palm Beach Post
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/palm-beach/pb-sea-turtle-rescue-20110731,0,1566036.story
"I'm not aware of this ever being done on a turtle before. We changed the shape of his shell, just like we change the shape of a patient's jaw," said Vargas, who performed the work for free.
Named after the gentle giant wrestler, Andre was found in June 2010 stranded on a sandbar about a mile-and-a-half south of the Juno Beach Pier. Swimmers floated the endangered green sea turtle to shore on a boogie board. They called the Loggerhead Marinelife Center for help.
Boat propellers had gouged two holes in the green turtle's shell. The bigger gash, about two inches deep and packed with about three pounds of sand, was the size of an adult forearm. The other was as big as a baseball.
"I found a live crab inside," said Melissa Ranly, Marinelife hospital coordinator.
Andre's problems were just starting. He had a collapsed lung. Pneumonia. Exposed spinal cord. Severe infections.
"We didn't think he had a chance," said Tom Longo, marinelife communications manager.
Undaunted, turtle experts at the center gingerly cleaned the wound. They covered it with a black foam and clear plastic to promote healing. Andre's shell was hooked up to a plastic tube that uses negative pressure to promote new skin growth and knock out infection supplied for free by San Antonio-based Kinetic Concepts Inc.
"It was never tried on a turtle before," said Mike Barger, Kinetic spokesman.
That's where Vargas came in.
Using braces like bridges to either side of the wound, the orthodontist pushed and pulled Andre's shell to promote growth. Each day, caregivers twisted a key that clicked to adjust the braces. He coaxed the shell to expand about one inch.
"We lessened the size of the hole," said Vargas, whose office is in Abacoa.
And now after 13 months of treatment, Andre is ready to be released. His skin underneath the foam, once fully exposing organs, is now hard enough to survive in the depths of the Atlantic. Green turtles grow up to about 400 pounds and live 80 years.
"Andre has a real spirit. That's what got him through this. We'll miss him," said Brittany Jo Miller, spokeswoman for the Loggerhead Marinelife Center, a nonprofit agency that rehabilitates injured and sick sea turtles.
By Bill DiPaolo, The Palm Beach Post
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/palm-beach/pb-sea-turtle-rescue-20110731,0,1566036.story
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Sea turtles nesting at record rate in Georgia
Sea turtles nesting at record rate in Georgia
Savannah Morning News, July 9, 2011, Mary Landers
Sea turtles are nesting in record numbers on Georgia beaches this summer. As of Friday, 1,590 nests, almost all from loggerhead sea turtles, had been recorded from Cumberland to Tybee islands.
That's ahead of the pace of 2010, which was also a stellar year for turtles. There are about three weeks remaining in the nesting season, which typically begins here in May. Georgia Sea Turtle Program Coordinator Mark Dodd predicted the total number of nests could reach close to 2,100.
"We expect to go way beyond last year," said Dodd, a senior wildlife biologist with the Department of Natural Resources. "And last year was a great year."
Georgia recorded 1,771 nests last year.
Most of the state's nests are from loggerhead seaa turtles, but 11 have been identified as leatherback nests, three are green turtle nests, and another nine are undetermined. Leatherbacks are a tropical species finding its way farther north as ocean and global temperatures increase, Dodd said.
Chatham County's Ossabaw Island has recorded 372 nests, putting it far ahead of the much larger and usual leader, Cumberland Island. Dodd can't say why.
"I would have never expected that many nests on Ossabaw," he said.
Most nesting beaches in Georgia are patrolled daily, some by paid staffers hired for the summers to live on remote barrier islands as "turtle interns." But there are also legions of volunteers that look for nests, protect them from predators and guard hatchlings when they emerge. Their efforts and other conservation measures, such as turtle excluder devices that keep turtles from drowning in shrimp nets, appear to be making a difference, Dodd said.
"We're hoping that the long-term decline has bottomed out," he said. "The last couple years they've started to increase their nesting. And it's going to be another good year. We're hopeful this is the beginning of the recovery."
Tybee found solid evidence this month that its efforts to attract nesting turtles are paying off. Over the winter Chatham County retrofitted the lights on the Tybee pavilion to make them more turtle-friendly. Bright lights can disorient turtles.
Recently a turtle volunteer discovered loggerhead sea turtle tracks that led directly up the beach under the pier. That turtle didn't actually lay eggs, instead looping up and back in what turtle researchers call a false crawl.
"Although there were no eggs, it was nice to see a crawl near the pier," wrote Tybee sea turtle project coordinator Tammy Smith in an email announcing the crawl. "It is evident that the new lights have helped darken the beach."
As of Friday, Tybee had seven nests recorded.
As nesting winds down, hatching gears up. The first three nests hatched Tuesday on Sea Island and Ossabaw. Hatching typically continues through October.
Savannah Morning News, July 9, 2011, Mary Landers
Sea turtles are nesting in record numbers on Georgia beaches this summer. As of Friday, 1,590 nests, almost all from loggerhead sea turtles, had been recorded from Cumberland to Tybee islands.
That's ahead of the pace of 2010, which was also a stellar year for turtles. There are about three weeks remaining in the nesting season, which typically begins here in May. Georgia Sea Turtle Program Coordinator Mark Dodd predicted the total number of nests could reach close to 2,100.
"We expect to go way beyond last year," said Dodd, a senior wildlife biologist with the Department of Natural Resources. "And last year was a great year."
Georgia recorded 1,771 nests last year.
Most of the state's nests are from loggerhead seaa turtles, but 11 have been identified as leatherback nests, three are green turtle nests, and another nine are undetermined. Leatherbacks are a tropical species finding its way farther north as ocean and global temperatures increase, Dodd said.
Chatham County's Ossabaw Island has recorded 372 nests, putting it far ahead of the much larger and usual leader, Cumberland Island. Dodd can't say why.
"I would have never expected that many nests on Ossabaw," he said.
Most nesting beaches in Georgia are patrolled daily, some by paid staffers hired for the summers to live on remote barrier islands as "turtle interns." But there are also legions of volunteers that look for nests, protect them from predators and guard hatchlings when they emerge. Their efforts and other conservation measures, such as turtle excluder devices that keep turtles from drowning in shrimp nets, appear to be making a difference, Dodd said.
"We're hoping that the long-term decline has bottomed out," he said. "The last couple years they've started to increase their nesting. And it's going to be another good year. We're hopeful this is the beginning of the recovery."
Tybee found solid evidence this month that its efforts to attract nesting turtles are paying off. Over the winter Chatham County retrofitted the lights on the Tybee pavilion to make them more turtle-friendly. Bright lights can disorient turtles.
Recently a turtle volunteer discovered loggerhead sea turtle tracks that led directly up the beach under the pier. That turtle didn't actually lay eggs, instead looping up and back in what turtle researchers call a false crawl.
"Although there were no eggs, it was nice to see a crawl near the pier," wrote Tybee sea turtle project coordinator Tammy Smith in an email announcing the crawl. "It is evident that the new lights have helped darken the beach."
As of Friday, Tybee had seven nests recorded.
As nesting winds down, hatching gears up. The first three nests hatched Tuesday on Sea Island and Ossabaw. Hatching typically continues through October.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
A rare birth witnessed in Ocean Park
As revelers flocked to the island’s shores over the Fourth of July weekend, a lucky few witnessed a wonder of nature along a crowded stretch of beach at the edge of the sprawling capital city of San Juan.
Amid the ebb and flow of a packed day at the beach, dozens of endangered sea turtle hatchlings were born, emerging from their sandy nest after two months of incubation and heading straight to sea to the delight of people on hand to see the spectacle.
The daytime rush to the sea was unusual, as most hatches take place at night to improve the slim chances of survival for newborn turtles that are easy pickings for a range of predators.
The hatchlings were actually shepherded to the water by the thrilled crowd of people who had gathered to welcome them to the world.
The coastal fringe from Ocean Park to Isla Verde, ringed by condominium towers and hotels, boasts the most popular beach spots for tourists and metro area locals alike, drawing thousands of visitors on a daily basis.
Despite the crowds and development, the sandy stretch remains a prime nesting ground for sea turtles.
Local environmental officials, activists and community members work to protect these nesting grounds, where pregnant sea turtles haul themselves out of the sea to burrow into the sand to lay their eggs. Once hatched, the baby sea turtles emerge from the sand and quickly try to reach the sea for the start of a life’s journey that will take them thousands of miles around the Atlantic Ocean.
Incredibly, some species of sea turtles are believed to return to nest years later on the same stretch of coastline where they were born, although scientists remain uncertain on what underpins such an astute
system of navigation.
Few sea turtles make it to adulthood, facing threats from predators and human intervention before they are even hatched. Once hatched, the tiny sea turtles are seen as tasty morsels for a range of animals higher up the
food chain at sea, on land and from the air.
Litter, particularly discarded plastic, also poses a serious threat as sea turtles can mistake it for jellyfish, an important part of their diet.
By : KEVIN MEAD
http://www.caribbeanbusinesspr.com/news03.php?nt_id=59363&ct_id=1&ct_name=1
Amid the ebb and flow of a packed day at the beach, dozens of endangered sea turtle hatchlings were born, emerging from their sandy nest after two months of incubation and heading straight to sea to the delight of people on hand to see the spectacle.
The daytime rush to the sea was unusual, as most hatches take place at night to improve the slim chances of survival for newborn turtles that are easy pickings for a range of predators.
The hatchlings were actually shepherded to the water by the thrilled crowd of people who had gathered to welcome them to the world.
The coastal fringe from Ocean Park to Isla Verde, ringed by condominium towers and hotels, boasts the most popular beach spots for tourists and metro area locals alike, drawing thousands of visitors on a daily basis.
Despite the crowds and development, the sandy stretch remains a prime nesting ground for sea turtles.
Local environmental officials, activists and community members work to protect these nesting grounds, where pregnant sea turtles haul themselves out of the sea to burrow into the sand to lay their eggs. Once hatched, the baby sea turtles emerge from the sand and quickly try to reach the sea for the start of a life’s journey that will take them thousands of miles around the Atlantic Ocean.
Incredibly, some species of sea turtles are believed to return to nest years later on the same stretch of coastline where they were born, although scientists remain uncertain on what underpins such an astute
system of navigation.
Few sea turtles make it to adulthood, facing threats from predators and human intervention before they are even hatched. Once hatched, the tiny sea turtles are seen as tasty morsels for a range of animals higher up the
food chain at sea, on land and from the air.
Litter, particularly discarded plastic, also poses a serious threat as sea turtles can mistake it for jellyfish, an important part of their diet.
By : KEVIN MEAD
http://www.caribbeanbusinesspr.com/news03.php?nt_id=59363&ct_id=1&ct_name=1
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