Plight of the Sea Turtles

1. Plight of the Sea Turtles Photo courtesy of Turtle Trax C UKB&PAB

2. Well-suited to life in the sea Males rarely return to land Females only return to lay eggs Range from 85 to 2,000 lbs Biology of Sea Turtles Photo courtesy of Ray Carthy

3. Worldwide Turtle Species • Loggerhead • Green • Leatherback • Kemp’s Ridley • Olive Ridley • Hawksbill • Flatback

4. Biology of Sea Turtles • Cannot retract heads far into shell • Have lifespan of decades • Tropic and temperate reptiles • Carapace composed of scutes Photo courtesy of Turtle Trax

5. Nesting Biology • Nest May-September • Nest mostly at night • 100 ping-pong ball size eggs • May return several times a season • Nest every 2-3 years • Temperature of nest determines sex of young Photos courtesy of Ray Carthy

6. Nesting Behavior Female turtles often appear to weep when nesting Photo Courtesy of Ray Carthy

7. Florida’s Sea Turtles Sea turtle sampler… • Loggerhead • Green • Leatherback • Kemp’s Ridley • Hawksbill Photo Courtesy of Turtle Trax C UKB & PAB

8. Green Turtle • Largely vegetarians • 100 to 1000 nests • Named for green body fat • Average 350 lbs • Average length 3.3 ft • Olive brown, dark streaks and yellow plastron Photo courtesy of Ray Carthy

9. Many of Florida’s green turtles have tumors called fibropapillomas. Photo courtesy of Turtle Trax

10. Ocular Tumors Photo courtesy of Turtle Trax

11. Leatherback Turtle 3000 ft divers Regulate body temperature 30-60 nests Photo Courtesy of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

12. Leatherback Stats • Average 6 ft in length • Weigh 500 to 1,500 lbs • Covered in firm, leathery skin • Black with white, pink and blue spots • Eat jellyfish • Found in Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans Photo Courtesy of Ray Carthy

13. Loggerhead Turtle • Most common sea turtle in Florida Photo courtesy of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

14. Loggerhead Stats • Average of 275 lbs • About 3 ft in length • Ruddy brown on top, yellow underneath • Eats clams, crabs and other crustaceans • Falls prey to sharks Photo courtesy of Ray Carthy

15. Mystery Illness Photo courtesy of UFCVM

16. Kemp’s Ridley Turtle • The Kemp’s Ridley is the rarest sea turtle in the world and is considered the most endangered Photo courtesy of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

17. Kemp’s Ridley Stats • Weigh 85 to 100 lbs • Measure 2 to 2.5 ft long • Principal diet is crabs and crustaceans • Only one major nesting beach called Rancho Nuevo in Mexico • Fewer than 1000 nesting females remain • Headstarted in Galveston, Texas Photo Courtesy of Ray Carthy

18. Hawksbill Turtle • The Hawksbill is a small, agile turtle whose beautiful shell is its greatest liability Photo Courtesy of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

19. Hawksbill Stats • Adults weigh between 100 to 200 lbs • Average of 30 inches long • Black and brown markings on amber • Oval-shaped body and distinctive jaws • Sponges are preferred food • Found in Atlantic, Pacific, Indian oceans Photo Courtesy of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

20. Threats to Turtles Artificial Lights Predators Driving on beach Photos courtesy of Ray Carthy

21. Lighting Photos Courtesy of Ray Carthy

22. Crows and Ghost Crabs Photos courtesy of Ray Carthy

23. Coyotes and Foxes Photos courtesy of Ray Carthy

24. Raccoons Photo Courtesy of Ray Carthy

25. Beach Driving Photo by Margaret Lamont

26. Additional Threats to Turtles Trawling TED’s Pollution

27. Trawling An estimated 11,000 turtles died before TED’s were required Photo courtesy of ACCSTR

28. TED Required in 1989 Allowed turtles caught to escape through a trap door Photo Courtesy of ACCSTR

29. Turtle Exclusion Device Photo Courtesy of ACCSTR

30. Pollution Photo courtesy of Ray Carthy

31. Coastal Impacts • Beach Armoring • Coastal Development • Beach Renourishment

32. Beach Armoring Seawalls, bulkheads, sandbags, etc. Degrade nesting habitat Photo courtesy of Florida Marine Research Institute

33. Coastal Development Photo courtesy of Ray Carthy

34. Beach Renourishment Provides nesting habitat Might affect site fidelity Type and size of sand might affect nesting 90 projects are planned between 2000 and 2046 Photo by Margaret Lamont

35. Conservation Efforts Research done Organizations Laws and Statutes Photo courtesy of Turtle Trax

36. Research • Distribution, abundance, life histories • Turtle deaths, disease, and their causes • Identification of genetic stocks • Sex-determination techniques • Nesting ecology • Effects of lights, beach armoring and renourishment Photos courtesy of Ray Carthy

37. Bureau of Protected Species Management The Sea Turtle section • Recovery program planning, management, and administration • Coordination of research and management activities • Habitat protection • Education Photo Courtesy of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

38. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission • Participates in decisions regarding sea turtles and habitat • Reviews permits for coastal development • Field evaluations • Educational Activities Photo courtesy of Ray Carthy

39. Florida Marine Research Institute • FMRI staff responds or coordinates response to all reported turtle strandings • Species, location, measurements, and anomalies are documented • Fresh carcasses are retained for necropsy • This info used to monitor and document mortality factors Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network

40. Laws and Statutes Federal Endangered Species Act Florida’s Marine Turtle Protection Act Many county and municipality ordinances Photo Courtesy of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

41. How You Can Help Photo courtesy of Ray Carthy

42. Turn off unnecessary lights Don’t use decorative lights Face lights away from the beach Shield the light source Paint is a temporary solution Replace exposed light sockets with recessed Replace fixtures with directional fixtures Replace lights on poles Replace bulbs with sodium-vapor or bug lights Plant or improve vegetation buffers Use shielded motion lights Apply window tint or blinds. Move lights away from windows Solutions To Decrease Light

43. Sick, Injured or Dead Sea Turtle • If you see a dead, sick or injured sea turtle call the Florida marine patrol at • 1-800-DIAL-FMP or • Contact FMRI turtle stranding staff by pager at 1-800-241-4653 (ID# 274-4867) • Be prepared to answer the following questions

44. Photo by Margaret Lamont • What is the location of the turtle? • Is the turtle alive or dead? • What is the approximate size of the turtle? • Is the turtle marked with spray paint? • What is the location of the closest access point to the turtle?

45. Summary • Air-breathing reptiles • Seven species of turtles; five in Florida • All are endangered or threatened • Temperature of nest determines sex Photo by Margaret Lamont

46. Summary • Threatened in many ways: coastal development, pollution, drowning in fishing nets, and light pollution • Research has focused on females and hatchlings • Protection remains a key goal in survival Photo by Margaret Lamont

47. Acknowledgements Developed by April Weaver and Dr. Mark Hostetler, Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, IFAS, University of Florida In conjunction with: Dr. Ray Carthy, USGS, BRD, Florida Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission The Florida Marine Institute Environmental Defense National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Turtle Trax University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine

48. Acknowledgements Photo credits: Ray Carthy Margaret Lamont Turtle Trax-Ursula Keuper-Bennett & Peter Bennett National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine