It took me over five years since first coming to Utila to witness baby turtles hatch on this island.
We have three species of sea turtles which can be found here on Utila: hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), green turtle (Chelonia mydas) and loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta). The species which most commonly nest here are hawksbill turtles, though loggerhead and green turtles can also be seen in far smaller numbers.
Sea turtles play an essential role within our marine ecosystem, eating sea grasses, sponges and jellyfish, all of which help to keep potential overgrowth in check. Today, hawksbill turtles are classed as 'critically endangered'. They face countless threats due to human activity: plastic debris creating blockages on beaches, coastal development destroying nesting beaches, poaching for turtle meat, their shells and theft of eggs... just to list a few! Due to their lengthy migration routes in search of feeding areas, it is proven to be increasingly difficult for us to protect sea turtles; therefore the best opportunity presents itself when females return to the beach to lay her eggs.
In the past, WSORC has collaborated with BICA's ongoing sea turtle monitoring project. WSORC staff and our marine conservation interns would volunteer to patrol Utila's northern beaches overnight, watching mother turtles make their way up the beach, ready to dig a nest to lay either eggs. Not only is this important to keep a record of how many eggs are laid, but also to ensure the safety of the Mumma's. Unfortunately, poaching of both turtles and their nests isn't uncommon on Utila. BICA is also recording data relating to how many turtles reach our beaches every season, the success of their laying habits and how climate change as a whole is impacting the development of their embryos.
Just in the past few months, WSORC has had the opportunity to get involved once again, this time being invited to view the excavation process of hatched nests. After the baby turtles naturally emerge from their nests, volunteers return a day or so later to check if any stragglers have been left behind, and lend them a helping hand towards their new ocean home.
I was amazed at just how DEEP females dig to provide a safe shelter for their eggs! That day it took half an hour to reach the bottom of the nest, gently feeling around for turtles, scooping out empty shells and we would still find sleepy babies wedged within the sand walls. Once the turtles are removed from the nest, they are placed in a tub alongside their siblings. This gives them the opportunity to wake up and become acquainted with the smells of their environment, essential for later having to find their way to the water's edge. For this reason, we were also asked to stand downwind from the turtles, careful not to confuse the scent.
Once placed in the tub, it was such a joy to witness them all waking up. Cracking open their sandy eyelids for the first time, slowly moving around and gradually becoming more and more active. It really is a privilege to watch a new life enter the world! The more time they spent earth-side, the more they started to scramble over one another, flipping onto their backs until a sibling would stumble past and knock them upright again. It's like watching a comedy nature show, unbearably cute and endlessly entertaining.
After all turtles had been accounted for, the empty shells tallied up and the partially developed shells examined, it was time to release the eager little ones - all raring to go! On both occasions I witnessed this process, we excavated about 17-20 turtles each time.
Before the wriggling turtles were set to be released, we had to rake the beach in preparation. Sadly, not only was this necessary to flatten down the surface, but more so to clear the way of plastic debris washed up on the shoreline. Large plastic bottles, single use plastic cutlery, medical supplies, plastic bottle caps, discarded shoes... It made me think, what chance do these turtles have in making it to the water in areas where humans aren't around to clear the way? What if they can't climb the plastic mountain or manoeuvre around our trash, then they can't ever find the ocean. Then they can't feed.
[1) Raking the sand to clear the way. 2) Barriers constructed by volunteers to help guide baby turtles to the water. 3) Their little fin tracks in the sand after being released.)
Watching them race their way down the beach to their unwelcoming new home was an anxious process - What's waiting for them on the other side? How many of these turtles will make it? Will they ever return to this beach?
Well, unfortunately the odds are against them. What was once predicted to be a one in one hundred survival rate, has recently become a dire one in one thousand! So for those 20 turtles we released, it is quite likely that none will survive.
[These babies emerged from their nest on their own. Just taking a little nap before finding their way to the ocean!]
But they sure are fighters! Turtles receive such a harsh welcoming to the world. First they have to struggle through their nest to break the surface. Then, once they've caught their breath they need to rely on their senses to locate the ocean, hopefully not disoriented by odd smells or misleading lights (beachside properties!). After finally getting on the right track, they are then swept off the sand by crashing waves, sometimes getting smashed into rocks or coral skeletons in the shallows. If they manage to make it that far, they then need luck on their side to not get immediately eaten. They must find shelter and food. Yet still, later in life they need to avoid getting poached or fished, and the females must make their way back to the beach to give birth and once again the process begins.
Even if you don't live near the coast, or by a turtle nesting area, you can still do so much in your every day lives to help! Massively reduce your use of plastics, don't purchase animal souvenirs and be mindful of what you're buying on holiday and what you're consuming. Spread awareness by educating others on turtle conservation and talk about the threats that they are facing. Or if you're in a position to be able to, financially supporting organisations like BICA is so important!
If you would like to help from home, your donations towards protecting these species are greatly appreciated! Follow the link: https://bicainc.org/bica-inc-donate/
Thanks for reading, and as always I wish you:
Happy dreaming & safe diving,
A.
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