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TURTLE ENCOUNTER
August 12th 2003 – Encounter with the
endangered Hawksbill Turtle
(Eretmochelys imbricata)
Conrad and Jennie La Barrie, ardent Eco buffs, were fortunate to witness
Hawksbill turtles laying eggs during the bright full moon on August 12th 2003.
They were privileged to join conservationists Keri and Ellie at Jumby Bay Island
on the east beach where research on the endangered Hawksbill turtle has been
monitored for the past 16 years. Despite regular annual nesting activity on
some of Antigua
’s beaches, regional numbers are declining due to light pollution, coastal
building, beach erosion, poaching and natural predators. The profile of these
ancient reptiles is fascinating and an encounter leaves one filled with awe.
Imagine, sea turtle
’s ancestors have been around for 150 million years!
The beach is quietly patrolled on the hour to search for evidence of a turtle
coming on shore.
At 8.30pm tracks are spotted leading from the sea into sea-grape bushes,
vegetation being a typical nesting preference.
To everyone’s delight, a 3.5ft long, 2ft wide adult female is found gouging a deep pit into
the sand with her back flippers, perfectly (jointed) tools to execute the task
quickly and thoroughly. Whilst laying eggs into the chamber, the turtle is in a
trance-like state and is oblivious to our presence, allowing Allie and Keri to
measure the shell, record unusual markings and check for specifically patterned
identification
‘holes’, made by other marine experts on previous encounters. We could hear the deep
sighs of the female as she took a breath to excrete the eggs, one by one
– it appeared she was breathing through the contractions!
After only one mating encounter, during the six month nesting season (July to
October), four or five separate clutches will be laid in intervals of about 14
days. The procedure of site selection, site clearing, pit construction, egg
chamber construction, egg laying, re-filling in the egg chamber, camouflaging
the nest site and returning to sea can take between 1-2 hours. A clutch is
approximately 140-150 eggs, which take 60 days to hatch. At times, a female
will come ashore to lay, but will not stay, (possibly not finding the right
location), returning to the sea and appearing one or two days later. This
failed attempt is called a
‘false crawl’.
MORE FACTS
Turtles begin to reproduce around the age of 25 years, and can live about
100-140 years
…if they survive as a mere hatchling! Once they scurry from nest to the sea, they
must be wary of larger sea predators looking for a tasty snack. Statistically,
only 1 in 3,000 hatchlings survive! It is amazing that the sex of the turtles
is determined by the temperature of the nest
– so more females are born in the earlier warmer months than the cooler October
period when more males appear.
All data gathered by the ardent conservationists attached to Antigua’s Environmental Awareness Group and around the vast Caribbean region about these
wonderful creatures is sent to a central database at a university in Athens,
Georgia, USA, where biologists review the status and behavioral tendencies of
every individual turtle ever tagged in this region.
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October 12th 2003
FINALLY, THE HATCHLINGS…
Sixty days later…we return to Jumby Bay Island filled with anticipation. A beautiful full moon, calm tropical breezes and no
light pollution are perfect conditions for turtle watching. The beach
positively glowed! We witnessed a female coming ashore to lay at 8.30am
– what a bonus!
The observationist returns to the nest site and, as no sign of ‘eruption’ was evident, gently touched the surface of the sand to stir the critters.
Usually the hatchlings will pierce their egg shells 1-2 days before they
emerge. Instinctively they appear to wait until all eggs are hatched before the
mass exodus to the sea, usually at night.
The eruption is dramatic and exciting! Approximately one hundred and fifty perfectly formed 2” long mini-turtles suddenly burst up and out from a small hole above the pit and
are drawn to light, (usually the moon) and towards the sea. Watching them is a
poignant moment
– will we see the females in 25 years time returning to lay their eggs, or will
the nearest barracuda skulking in the shallows have a midnight feast?
The importance of preservation and the possibility of extinction suddenly
becomes a reality. I take many photographs and watch them all swim out of site,
immediately competent swimmers, determined, driven.
The remaining ‘skins’ (the soft discarded shells) are counted and recorded – our clutch was filled with 99.8% healthy babies, with only two non-fertilized eggs (egg yolks). Our mamma turtle did well!
Those that survive may feed on plankton and other organisms until old enough to
enjoy sponges and coral reef vegetation. During their growth, feeding and
living sites may be located hundreds of miles away
– Six years ago electronically tagged females were traced (by satellite) living
as far away as St. Kitt
’s, Barbados and even the west coast of Africa. Despite the distance, mature
nesting females will always return to their
‘natal’ beach (where they were born).
One is awestruck by God’s order in all things at times like this. We felt we were ‘a mere speck’ whilst lying on the beach (with no light pollution) at night with the spectacle
of the universe in its infinity pressing down on us. We saw trillions upon
trillions of stars, dozens of shooting stars, a meteorite and a satellite in an
inky sky. A lightening storm flashed hundreds of miles away to add to the
splendor.
We thank the EAG, Keri, Allie and Ian for sharing their vast knowledge and giving us the opportunity to experience these gentle
creatures in their natural environment. It was an enlightening, educational
encounter that we will always remember and gladly share with the many guests
who come kayaking with us at
“Paddles”.
Next time you’re snorkeling and spot a turtle, think how lucky you are to see this endangered
species
– let’s face it, the odds of survival are pretty small!
“Paddles” Kayak & Snorkel Eco Adventure, Seatons
Advocates for education and protection of the North Sound environment, and
preservation of wildlife and marine creatures.
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