Baby Turtles Here and There

Baby Sea Turtles Here and There

Here on Sanibel Island, we have had a few nests hatch in the past couple of weeks. Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation's Amanda Bryant, Biologist and our head turtle lady, along with a large group of volunteers, do everything they can to help the new hatchlings survive. Nests are dug 3 days after they hatch by an SCCF permittee, who counts the shells and rescues any stragglers. Most of the time a few stragglers are found, still in the nest. Those babies are usually kept in a bucket,damp and dark, until they are released at their nesting site, later that night. The cover of darkness, when there are less preditors, provides them a better chance for survival.

Many volunteers are working to save the sea turtles all along our coastlines.

Volunteers helping save baby turtles on Bonita Beach.

Volunteers helping sea turtles on Anna Maria Island.

Risky Plan to Save Turtles

Experts have put together a plan of action to move sea turtle eggs, from Florida's Panhandle beaches and the Alabama coast, with hope of saving as many as they can, from the oil disaster.

Hurray for the Leatherbacks!

From several articles I've read, it seems that the Leatherbacks may be making a come back. :-) At least we can hope.

Sea Turtle With Artificial Flippers

I found this story about a sea turtle, that was fitted with artificial flippers, an interesting read. I just don't understand how it could possibly be released back into the wild.

Twenty Three Sea Turtles Released Back Into the Wild

The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center on Topsail Island released 23 rehabilitated sea turtles back into the wild this morning. Hundreds of people were in attendance to help send the turtles on their way.

Mark One Up For the Turtles!!!

On April 15 I posted about the lawsuit that was filed by Earthjustice, the Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife, and a coalition of other conservation groups — Caribbean Conservation Corporation, Florida Wildlife Federation, Gulf Restoration Network and Sea Turtle Restoration Project — to help protect sea turtles.

April 15 Post:
A Fight for the Sea Turtles
Several groups have filed a complaint to stop bottom longline fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. This type of fishing costs the lives of hundreds of sea turtles each year.

Today:
As a result emergency Action has been taken for threatened and endangered sea turtles. Federal regulators passed a temporary ban on commercial longline fishing in a popular sea turtle feeding area in the Gulf of Mexico. During the closure, which will go into effect May 16, the agency will determine whether and how the fishery can operate while ensuring the survival of the turtles over the long term.

Yeah, for the Turtles!!

Here is another article about how those in the fishing industry think this ban may devastate restaurant owners. The ban affects 104 fleets, which catch an estimated 60to 70 percent of all grouper in the Gulf, which will make grouper very expensive.

Now, the restaurants serve many other sea foods, can't we just eat something else? Can't the fishermen concentrate on finding a better way to catch grouper or catch a different kind of fish? I really like grouper, but it just isn't that important to me whether I have grouper or another kind of fish, if it means saving hundreds of sea turtles each year.

Icy Sea Turtle

My friend Gayle, who lives in Fairbanks, Alaska, posted photos of some beautiful ice sculptures there. Of course the sea turtle caught my eye and I asked her if I could share it here. You might want to drop by her blog to see the other amazing sculptures.

This is certainly a big contrast to our 8o+ degree weather here. :-) You know, it's getting near turtle season againn.

Updates

There are updates available at the The Turtle Hospital Blog, Marathon, Florida, about several of the turtles I've mentioned here earlier.

You can also get news of the hundreds of cold stunned turtles being treated at The Sea Turtle Hospital, at Topsail, NC.

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. :-)

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.

Too Many Sea Turtles Caught On Longlines

sea turtles are caught on longlines, is there an answer to this problem? Read about a new federal report.

Baby Sea Turtles Getting Pushed Back By Wind

Baby sea turtles usually spend several years, about 25 miles from shore, living on floating sea weed. Recent high winds have pushed huge amounts of the sea weed onto the eastern shore, leaving the little turtles stranded. Read how they are being rescued.