Sunday, November 30, 2008

TORTUGUERO

Tortuguero, means "place of the turtles". This Costa Rican seaside is the largest green sea turtle nesting area in the Western Hemisphere. The number of green sea turtles had dwindled, but is now increasing, once again. It is hoped that the numbers grow to make a reality of a legend, that there were so many turtles, you could walk to shore on their shells.

For story and photo, see USA Today article.

Saturday, November 29, 2008

At A Loss For a Christmas Gift?

How about a trip to swim with the turtles?

Cool Runnings Catamaran Cruises, was voted 2nd most popular attraction in Barbados, for their personalised cruises. Check it out!

Friday, November 28, 2008

Low-Tech Treatment for Duffy?

The Georgia Sea Turtle Center used a new treatment for injured sea turtles. Duffy, a 76 pound loggerhead sea turtle, has a deep injury from a boat propeller. Read about the treatment that saved her life.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Feeding Lots of Mouths for Thanksgiving!

The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center on Topsail Island, NC will be feeding a lot of mouths this Thanksgiving.
Read about their guests and why there are reasons to give thanks.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Stunned Turtles on Outer Banks Beaches

Sea turtles, stunned by the sudden drop in water temperatures, are washing up on Outer Banks beaches this month. The North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island is running out of space for them.

Read the entire article about the rescues and the plan for a release in the Gulf Stream.

Cold Blamed For Turtle Strandings

Volunteers walk the beaches on the north side of the Cape early in the morning and looking for stranded turtles. They are playing beat the clock, trying to save the many Kemp's Ridley Turtles that have been stunned by the cold water. Another article about the strandings....

Sea Turtles Suffer From Cold Weather

An early cold snap has caused more Kemp's Ridley sea turtles, to wash ashore dead. Since late October, the New England Aquarium in Boston has received 36 turtles, 30 of them since Thursday.

Volunteers walk the beaches of Massachusetts' Cape Cod Bay,during November and December looking for stranded sea turtles. Can you imagine picking up a very cold little turtle, holding him under your warm coat, and in a few minutes feel it begin to wiggle? I think that would be the greatest! Many of the turtles are saved because of the kindness of those volunteers. Read more....

Little Turtle-sicles

Many little, cold sea turtles have been taken to Top Sail, NC Sea Turtle Hospital. They have set a new record at the hospital, as they keep crowding in more tanks to help the rescued turtles recover from being stunned by cold water from the drastic weather change.

Releasing Patti The Loggerhead

Patti the 250 pound loggerhead sea turtle is being released this morning. She was found stranded about one year ago and was taken to the Marine Science Center for rehabilitation. Read her story.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Twenty Two Sea Turtles Brought to NC Hospital

In the last few days, 22 sea turtles have been brought to Topsail Beach’s Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center, due to cold water temperature. Read and watch a video showing how volunteers have been transporting turtles and working at the hospital.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles

Green turtles are Considered sacred in the Hawaiian culture. It would be wonderful to walk along the beach and see them lying around. There is a person who always takes their camera along as they walk the beach. She has taken many photos of the green turtles to share.

Sandy Has Surgery

Sandy the Hawksbill, had surgery Thursday at the Florida Keys Turtle Hospital. Read the update on her condition.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Sandy A Hawksbill Sea Turtle

Sandy, a hawksbill sea turtle was flown by American Airlines to Miami, so it can be treated at the world renowned Turtle Hospital in Marathon. The turtle was attacked by wild dogs last month while nesting on a St. Croix beach. Read this article and see a video of the turtle taken upon it's arrival in Florida.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Sanibel/Captiva Sea Turtle Stats

If you missed the SCCF Sea Turtle Stats, you have a chance to read about the turtle nesting this season. We had more than Loggerheads this year. :-)

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Experts say more study is needed.

The Florida nesting statistics are up this year, but experts are saying not to read too much into that. There is more study needed to assess the turtle trends. They are still leaning toward declaring the Loggerhead Sea Turtle endangered.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Will FeeBee and Milton Stay Together?

Thursday morning at the shoreline of the Indian River Lagoon, friends said goodbye to FeeBee and Milton. Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, will monitor the female and male turtles. Since they have grown up together in the same tank, it will be interesting to see if they stay together now that they have been released. They can also choose to hang around the lagoon or migrate back into the ocean. The transmitters on their shells sends a message to a satellite each time they come to the surface to breathe. View the turtles' paths, starting in about two weeks, at seaturtle.org.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Loggerhead Marinelife Center

Sea turtles in need of medical care can now be treated at The Loggerhead Marinelife Center, full service hospital that has just opened their new facility.

Turtles will be able to recover in an open ocean water system. Vistors will be able to watch the surgical proceedures and preparation activities.

It is located at 14200 US Highway One in Juno Beach.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

South Carolina Had A Banner Year

South Carolina had a banner year for sea turtles, nearly twice as many as last year. Read the encouraging information. Read the S C nesting stats. The S C Sea Turtle Hospital has interesting information about turtle rescues, treatment and tracking them after their release. I can start reading there and totally loose track of time.

Milton & FeeBee

I'm not sure what happened here because these two sea turtles were scheduled for release in October and now it is November 6. I got this article in my email today and then later a comment from one of my visitors telling me about their up-coming release. ???

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Sea Turtles and Cold Shock

With the first real cold snap, endangered Kemp's Ridley, Green and Leatherback sea turtles wash up on the shores of Cape Cod Bay in significant numbers. When the water reaches 50 degrees, these sub-tropical creatures, which drifted north with the Gulf Stream in the summer, go into "cold shock." Still alive but comatose, they eventually wash up on bay beaches and they would freeze to death if humans didn't help.
Read how dedicated volunteers help with their rescue.

Turtle Season Best in Seven Years

Even though nests were lost during the summer storms, the hatchling count was still a pleasant improvement over previous years. Read what the area monitors have to say about the numbers in their particular areas.