Respect for sea turtles

Every year, sea turtles, including the iconic leatherback, return to TT shores for their nesting season. Dr Anjani Ganase has some suggestions on how we should treat these very special guests.

Every memory of going to observe turtle nesting has become a lasting one. I still remember going to Matura as a child, following my mother in the dark along the long, sandy stretch, only to suddenly stumble upon a laying leatherback bigger than me! Fast forward to Grande Riviere in my early 20s where leatherback turtles were literally bumping into each other in the darkest night, on the beach with the highest density of nesting turtles in Trinidad. Such encounters were always guided by an expert and were significant for the respect and care that were expected if we were to be in the presence of these ancient and majestic creatures.

The leatherback turtle nesting season runs roughly from March to August; June to November for Hawksbill turtles. While we are mostly excited to see the giant sea turtle, the leatherback, other species such as hawksbills, green turtles, olive ridley and loggerheads also come ashore to nest. Hawksbill turtles are the next most abundant after leatherback turtles for nesting in TT. Let us remember that the turtles are our primary visitors, and they create the occasion for us humans to appreciate their visits.

As we return to nesting beaches in greater numbers, we have to be alarmed by the series of videos shared recently on social media showing footage of humans flashing bright lights at the turtles and even standing on the nesting turtles. Such mistreatment of these vulnerable mothers is something that must be continuously addressed. Hence the need for publicity and sensitisation to increase awareness that these animals must be treated with respect; and to remind us all of our responsibility for the privilege of being allowed to observe nesting turtles. The sea turtles that visit TT shores – leatherbacks, green, hawksbill, loggerhead and olive ridley – are five of ten environmentally sensitive species designated by the EMA. In TT, this means that under the Environmental Management Act, the rules prohibit any disturbance or harm to the species or their habitat. The penalty for this is a $100,000 fine and a two-year jail term.

Considering the value of these creatures to the ocean’s natural ecosystems, we should treat encounters with these sea turtles as special and precious. Where to observe and how to approach nesting sea turtles should be something taught through our educational system, along with the knowledge of our environmentally sensitive areas and all the diverse natural habitats that make up TT. Since they spend their lives off shore, sea turtles must also be protected in the ocean.

The nesting process

During the nesting season, male and female turtles gather just off shore where they mate before the females come to the beaches to lay their eggs. Females lay multiple clutches of eggs within the same season (average four to five for hawksbills and greens, six to ten for leatherbacks), at intervals of about nine to ten days for leatherbacks and 14-16 days for hawksbills. These turtles come ashore to nest, typically at night. After sunset they make their way to shore and up the beach beyond the high-water mark.

After laying a clutch of eggs, nesting females will return to the ocean before coming up on another night in another location. Once a suitable location is found, the mother uses her back fins to dig a hole in the sand to the depth of about 2.5 feet. She then begins to lay her eggs which can be as many as a hundred or more in a single nest depending on the species. At this point, the patrols can carefully approach the turtle for tagging information and to take measurements. She then begins to cover up the hole again, before heading back in the water. On the way, she may make a few circles of “fake nests” to confuse the predators. The whole process can take up to three hours. Consider too, when the hatchlings make their way to the sea some two months after the eggs are laid, their survival rate is one in a thousand. And we are not likely to see these turtles again until they are mature enough to mate and lay their eggs on a beach near to where they were born.

Where do they go? They roam the ocean with no boundaries. Turtles that nest on TT beaches have been tracked across the Atlantic, and far into the colder waters of the north Atlantic. Female leatherbacks return to nest only every two to three years, and this is likely linked to how much energy they are able to store up for the long journey. Leatherback turtles are truly citizens of the ocean.

Guidelines for observing nesting turtles

While a few beaches host large numbers of turtles, most sandy beaches around TT may have nesting activity – so treat all beaches as if there may be turtles or their nests.

1. Go with an official guide or a patrol group: they have a wealth of information. Co-operate with the patrols who are essential for logging turtle arrivals and preventing any mistreatment of the nesting turtles. Beaches such as Turtle Beach (Tobago), Matura, Fishing Pond, Las Cuevas and Grande Riviere in Trinidad, are patrolled in the turtle-nesting months. Go with them to get an understanding and appreciation of what they do.

2. Avoid using artificial lights – torches, car lights, even flash photography and campfires. The brightest part of the beach is the sea, which is the guiding light for turtles, who cannot see well outside the water, to be able to return to the ocean. Even lights shining on turtles from behind when returning to the sea are a problem, as they will turn towards the light. Therefore, bright lights are disorienting and can result in wasted energy, and tire and even harm turtles, especially hatchlings, who rely on reaching the water quickly for survival.

3. Leave only footprints. Do not leave trash nor alter the beach in anyway, such as digging holes or placing hard structures such as chairs, tables etc. This includes driving on the beach, which compacts the sand over the eggs and causes ruts which are enough to be obstacles to hatchlings.

4. Stay at least ten metres (30 feet) away from turtles and never stand in front of them or block their path. This will intimidate the turtle and is likely to cause the turtle to return to the ocean or expend energy unnecessarily. If you happen to come across hatchlings, do not block their path to the ocean and do not touch them – let them make their own way to the sea.

5. Be quiet! Loud noises also disturb the nesting turtles and cause them to abandon their nests.

6. Seek patrols in the area if you encounter turtles in distress. Call local NGOs: in Tobago, Save Our Seas (SOS) or the Tobago House of Assembly, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment; in Trinidad, Nature Seekers or the Forestry Division, Wildlife Section; and in any of the communities that monitor turtle nesting, the watch groups or patrols.

Be safe on our nesting beaches in this season. Enjoy the opportunity for your once-in-a-lifetime encounter with these creatures whose home is the ocean.