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Turtle Season 2012 Is Underway - 4/16/2012 6:16:15 PM
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Tortuga Tom
Posts: 15401
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From: We Dodge Horse Poop On The Roads
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Mariano saw a couple of trails in the sand last week so it is beginning. Please observe the "Turtle Etiquette" rules so we can continue to see an increase in nests and hatchings.
Posted by Mariano on the CEA website:
Sea Turtle Nesting Season 2012 - by Mariano Suarez, Marine Turtle Protection Coordinator
Soon, sea turtles will be nesting on the beaches of Akumal. In the past two years, we have witnessed an increase in the number of females, nests and hatchlings, and we hope this year the trend continues to grow. The final numbers of the 2011 nesting season were amazing, with a total of 40,000 hatchlings released of 407 nests present on Akumal. We are more than ready to begin a productive and satisfying year, expecting at least 450 nests in this upcoming season. To make this happen, we need your help. Together we can allow the turtles to have free access to the nesting beaches and to nest successfully, so it's important to respect the following recommendations: - Change lights facing the beach areas to amber or red-colored bulbs; change their direction so that they light from the edge of your property to the building, not out to the beach. The lights disorient the turtles.
- Do not leave objects (beach chairs, floats, kayaks, etc.) on the beach, as they may obstruct the female turtle's path as she searches for a place to lay eggs.
- Do not make excessive noise at night from 23:00 to 05:00 hrs., during the nesting season (May - October).
- If you find a turtle on the beach, stay quiet, do not take pictures with flash and inform Centro Ecológico Akumal as soon as you can. Tel. 984 8759095. tortugas1@ceakumal.org
- Do not remove nests markers.
Let's respect this fabulous animal's life cycle. ¡Long live sea turtles! To help support this program financially, you can adopt a turtle baby, nest or family. Donors receive a personalized Certificate of Adoption, filled out in the person's name of your choice and mailed where you would like. These donations are tax deductible in the U.S., if purchased online, and all proceeds benefit the Sea Turtle Program. Thank you! Economy or Ecosystems? by Ivan Penié, Marine Ecosystems Coordinator
< Message edited by Tortuga Tom -- 6/9/2012 5:33:25 PM >
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Your body may be a temple but mine's an amusement park!
http://www.seashepherd.org
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RE: Turtle Season 2012 Is Beginning - 4/18/2012 9:16:39 PM
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zenpond
Posts: 29
Joined: 2/5/2012
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Is using a red cover over a regular small flashlight safe for the turtles, or does it have to be some special type of red light to be okay?
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zenpond
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RE: Turtle Season 2012 Is Beginning - 4/18/2012 9:39:54 PM
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JParker
Posts: 51
Joined: 7/27/2009
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Don't forget skeeter repellant at night!!
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RE: Turtle Season 2012 Is Beginning - 4/19/2012 8:59:28 PM
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Tortuga Tom
Posts: 15401
Joined: 5/23/2005
From: We Dodge Horse Poop On The Roads
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News & Infos - Tips - Sea turtle nesting season Tips: - Change the lights facing the beach areas to amber or red colored bulbs; otherwise modify the direction of them to the inside of the property. The lights disorient the turtles.
- Do not leave objects (beach chairs, floats, kayaks, etc) on the beach, as they may obstruct the path of the turtles to climb up to lay their eggs.
- Do not make excessive noise at night from 23:00 to 05:00 hrs, during the nesting season
- (May to October). The noise frightens the turtles.
- When you visit the beaches, please pick up the garbage even if is not yours. Help us to keep clean beaches.
If you see a turtle arriving, making a nest or laying their eggs, please: - Do not approach her.
- Do not light towards, nor take pictures with flash. The light frightens the turtles.
- Please notice the Centro Ecológico Akumal staff (CEA) of your observations.
- If for some reason you have to walk on the beach at night, use amber or red light on your flashlight, illuminating the path only.
If you see hatchlings on the beach, please: - Turn off the lights or ask your hotel or condominium to do it. Hatchlings follow the lights.
- If the hatchlings do not go into the ocean, please just help them find their own way into the sea, the contact with sand is their compass, do not release them on the water.
- Do not take pictures with flash.
- Do not keep them, is a FEDERAL OFFENSE.
While snorkeling please: - Keep a distance of at least 2 meters
- Do not swim over them, they need to come to surface to breathe
- While they feed, do not approach them. Keep distance of them.
- Do not touch, harass or ride them.
_____________________________
Your body may be a temple but mine's an amusement park!
http://www.seashepherd.org
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RE: Turtle Season 2012 Is Beginning - 4/19/2012 9:20:09 PM
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gamecock nemo
Posts: 130
Joined: 1/9/2012
From: Columbia, South Carolina
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Tortuga,, what you cant ride the turtles... man that blows.. just kiddiing.
people dont really try to ride them?
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RE: Turtle Season 2012 Is Beginning - 4/21/2012 2:28:23 AM
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TeriA
Posts: 906
Joined: 9/17/2010
From: Salem, Utah
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quote:
ORIGINAL: MysticFire
Great info- Just curious, how long of a time between the laid eggs and the hatching?
What time of day or night do the little ones venture out to sea? We are going at the end of May, and
It is an experience I would love to witness...at a distance of course...
The hatching usually takes about 75 to 80 days from when mama lays her eggs until they hatch out. The nests, if CEA finds out where they are, will be marked with rope and a sign giving the approximate date layed if known. Every night through about the early part of September CEA walks the beach looking for nests hatching out and mamas laying eggs. The thing is, the nest can hatch out anytime, although usually after dusk. Those that don't make it will be scooped out of their nests by CEA volunteers and kept safe until usually the next night. At about 6pm you can walk to CEA and watch a brief video presentation about the turtles, and then walk with them back out to the beach to assist with releasing the hatchlings into the sea.
There are very strict rules to protect the babies, such as no flash photography. You will make two lines of people about ten feet or so apart. This makes the pathway the turtles will follow to the water. A CEA worker will pile up some sand at the top end of the pathway for the turtles to crawl over, simulating the edge of a nest. They will then release the babies and everyone along either side of the pathway needs to stand still, and just assist the babies if needed to keep heading toward the water. If you need to pick one up, do so very gently, and set it back down facing the right way. Keep children back to prevent them from stepping on the babies as they can be hard to see in the low light. While you will be forming this line nearly to the waters edge, do not stand in the water.
One important tip, after handling a baby turtle, do not touch your face or mouth, or handle food or drink, not even containers or silverware, until you have thoroughly washed your hands with soap and hot water. Turtles carry salmonella. One tourist forgot to do this and spent the next day suffering miserably in her hotel room.
If you find a nest hatching out, try to follow the same rules about not touching them or handling them too much, but, do assist them in finding their way. If you see a mama coming on shore or in the act of creating a nest or laying, stay back and observe quietly. Always tell CEA when you see either a hatching or laying. It helps them to mark the nests, and check those that may have babies trapped inside.
I can't wait to be there again. Strange how those amazing creatures take hold of you.
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RE: Turtle Season 2012 Is Beginning - 4/21/2012 4:38:43 AM
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DungSR
Posts: 14959
Joined: 8/22/2007
From: Fort Worth, TX
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You know Tom, perhaps if you gave some history pertaining to the turtle "gen pop"? How they became so scarce? How they rebounded? I know I'm really interested in past numbers and causes and causes for these numbers. Is there a good website or documentary?
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RE: Turtle Season 2012 Is Beginning - 4/21/2012 8:21:53 PM
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sajacob
Posts: 404
Joined: 5/10/2011
From: Connecticut, USA
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Just charged and packed my turtle flashlight. We missed any hatch lings last October but hope to watch a nesting mother this May. Thank you Tortuga Tom for all your information!!!
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RE: Turtle Season 2012 Is Beginning - 4/21/2012 8:25:09 PM
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sajacob
Posts: 404
Joined: 5/10/2011
From: Connecticut, USA
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beautiful!!
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RE: Turtle Season 2012 Is Beginning - 4/22/2012 12:01:54 AM
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makita579
Posts: 410
Joined: 6/10/2007
From: Berks County, PA
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I've released some 2 times. One of the best experiences of my life. Hoping to be able to join again this summer :)
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