Thursday, September 4, 2008
Sanibel Beach Camping Illegal
I just wanted to let concerned readers know, the campers I mentioned in some of my turtle walk posts, were caught. I don't believe they will be back leaving their trash for others to pick up anymore. I thought it was just a matter of time.
100 Hawksbill Turtles Die
Another sad story of poaching internationally-protected marine life. Fewer and fewer turtles are living long enough to reproduce.
Hawksbill Turtles are classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as critically-endangered--the highest risk rating for a living animal save for being completely extinct in the wild.
Hawksbill Turtles are classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as critically-endangered--the highest risk rating for a living animal save for being completely extinct in the wild.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
No More Turtle Walks This Season For Me
This is an email we received from our Permittee today. I believe they are still going to watch those nests that have the markings still intact. Even though it is doubtfull they will hatch after being washed over with water and sand, we can still hope.
Due to Gustav, all remaining East End nests were washed over to some extent and have hard packed sand on them.
As a result, and because the nesting part of the turtle season is over, it is NOT necessary to walk your Zones anymore.
What we do ask, is that those of you who have nests with a possibility of hatching, visit those nests until they do hatch or are dug.
The status of the Nests, by Zones, is as follows:
Zone 1, none
Zone 2, Nest #28; this is located at Sanibel Moorings in front of the westernmost walkway
Zone 3, none
Zone 4, none
Zone 5, Nest #21; located at Gulfside City Park, 40 yards east of the easternmost walkway
Zone 6, Nest #27; located at White Sands, 10 feet west of their boardwalk and Nests #20 and #29, both of these are at Pointe Santo de Sanibel, one at the easternmost building the other at the westernmost building.
As bad as this seems, earlier nests did have large clutch sizes that hatched!
Due to Gustav, all remaining East End nests were washed over to some extent and have hard packed sand on them.
As a result, and because the nesting part of the turtle season is over, it is NOT necessary to walk your Zones anymore.
What we do ask, is that those of you who have nests with a possibility of hatching, visit those nests until they do hatch or are dug.
The status of the Nests, by Zones, is as follows:
Zone 1, none
Zone 2, Nest #28; this is located at Sanibel Moorings in front of the westernmost walkway
Zone 3, none
Zone 4, none
Zone 5, Nest #21; located at Gulfside City Park, 40 yards east of the easternmost walkway
Zone 6, Nest #27; located at White Sands, 10 feet west of their boardwalk and Nests #20 and #29, both of these are at Pointe Santo de Sanibel, one at the easternmost building the other at the westernmost building.
As bad as this seems, earlier nests did have large clutch sizes that hatched!
Lost Turtle Nests
About mid-afternoon, the waves got very high. The tide was up exceptionally high. It had washed sand and shells all the way up into the dunes.
We saw 3 turtle nests that have been washed over, near access # 2.
Our last remaining nest in Zone 1, is gone; we couldn't even find the stakes. ;-(
I hope I am wrong, but I seriously doubt there will be a nest left on the island.
There is a high surf advisory here for 24 hours.
I looked back through the figures that had been sent to us and it looks like there were 266 nests on Sanibel;124 of those had hatched. If that figure is correct, then there would have been 142 nests still to hatch. I don't have the figures for Captiva, but it seems to me, that at one point I was thinking there were over 350 total nests adding both islands together.
We saw 3 turtle nests that have been washed over, near access # 2.
Our last remaining nest in Zone 1, is gone; we couldn't even find the stakes. ;-(
I hope I am wrong, but I seriously doubt there will be a nest left on the island.
There is a high surf advisory here for 24 hours.
I looked back through the figures that had been sent to us and it looks like there were 266 nests on Sanibel;124 of those had hatched. If that figure is correct, then there would have been 142 nests still to hatch. I don't have the figures for Captiva, but it seems to me, that at one point I was thinking there were over 350 total nests adding both islands together.
Bokeelia Island’s First Sea Turtle Nest
Southwest Florida's sea turtles usually lay their eggs on barrier island beaches. But this season a loggerhead nest has been found on Bokeelia Island, off the north end of Pine Island. This will be the island's first nest on record.
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