❤ Sea Turtles Return to Antigua
Sea Turtles Return to Antigua's Shores for Another Nesting Season - EAG Advises
Antigua and Barbuda’s marine reptiles have returned for another nesting season and the Antigua Sea Turtle Conservation Project (ASTCP), a division of the Environmental Awareness Group (EAG), would like to share how we can protect this precious resource. Leatherback, Green, and Hawksbill sea turtles nest in Antigua and Barbuda between March and October.
These turtles can lay between 80-150 eggs and return to shore 4-5 times in a season. Their eggs will incubate for 60 days and then hatchlings will crawl out to sea. Among these hatchlings 1 in 3000 will survive to become an adult; reaching maturity between 20-30 years old.
Why do we need to protect this resource? Presently, the hawksbill turtle is categorised as Critically endangered by the IUCN while green turtle populations are categorised as Endangered and leatherbacks as Vulnerable. This means, if we want the population of turtles on our island to survive, we need to protect them. Locally, in 2013 after consultations with a number of stakeholders, the Fisheries Division was able to define stronger conservation measures for all sea turtles. Presently, it is banned and prohibited by law to capture and kill sea turtles of any size on land or sea unless open season is declared. Additionally, it is prohibited to cause disturbance to turtles during periods of breeding, incubation or migration, as well as other periods of biological stress.
Here are some basic guidelines to help us protect our turtles when we encounter them on the beach and in our daily practices:
Guidelines when encountering nesting sea turtles:
•Don’t shine lights at turtles, disturb the nests, or collect eggs or hatchlings.
•Because lighting can disorient egg-bearing females and their young, leading them inland and away from the sea, please turn off, shield or redirect lights so they don’t shine on the beach.
•Avoid driving on beaches: incubating eggs can be crushed and tire ruts trap newborn hatchlings.
Other ways to protect our sea turtles:
•Don’t litter! Cans and bottles can cause injury to nesting and hatching sea turtles. Also, plastic bags, mistaken for jellyfish, can suffocate turtles and fishing hooks can damage their internal organs.
•Check fishing nets frequently as turtles accidentally get caught and drown.
•Don’t leave lounge chairs, sailboats, and other obstructions on nesting beaches at night.
•Safeguard natural vegetation – it stabilizes sandy beaches, helps to protect the shoreline from erosion, and provides sheltered nesting sites.
•Protect feeding areas (shallow grassy areas); never anchor on coral reefs or seagrass, or touch living coral when diving.
•Volunteer with the Antigua Sea Turtle Conservation Project. Contact us via email at abseaturtles@gmail.com.
Let’s do our part to ensure that this precious resource continues to return and thrive in our waters and on our shores. The public is encouraged to report sightings of nesting turtles, fresh turtle tracks, or nest hatchings on beaches around the island to the ASTCP hotline at 720-6955. For more information and press inquiries contact Ina Howe at 732-1008.
St. John, Antigua.
Adrian Simmons,
Writer. Reporter. Dedicated Journalist. With several years’ experience in several different news forums Adrian Simmons is no stranger to the fast paced world of news and media. An accomplished entertainment and cultural news editor. He knows the importance of keeping a growing, global audience connected with a shrinking world. From print to television to digital to social networks, once there's a medium worth reporting on, then that's where you're most certain to find him. .Share This:
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