Turtles on track for record local nesting season
(CNS): This year is proving to be one of the highest years on record for turtle nests, experts from the Department of Environment have revealed. So far, DoE staff and trained volunteers have found and marked over 200 turtle nests in Grand Cayman. Since 1998, the DoE has conducted systematic surveys along the beaches to identify signs of nesting by sea turtles. The data collected is used to assess the quantity, frequency and distribution of nesting and to aid conservation efforts. Together the DoE staff and volunteers cover some 800 miles of beach by the end of the May-November turtle nesting season.
Janice Blumenthal, a research officer with the department, said that the number of nests found so far puts 2012 on track to be one of the highest years on record.
“Our monitoring method has not changed since the programme began in 1998, so we are confident this represents a true increase,” she said. “Due tothe increase, many Caymanians and residents have been able to see nesting turtles for the first time and many visitors have told us that they will plan their next vacation to the Cayman Islands during the nesting season or in order to see nests hatch.
“We would like to thank hotel and condo managers, beach front property owners, and CUC for turning off lights on the beach to protect these nests. Together, we have already protected over 5,500 hatchlings, and the work of protecting the years’ hatchlings is just beginning,” she added.
While this is an encouraging increase in nesting numbers, turtles still face numerous threats, including poaching and light pollution. Contributions from a campaign run by a beer company will be used to address the lighting problem.
“We are excited about using some of the funds from Miller Lite to implement turtle ‘friendly lighting’ solutions in key areas,” Blumenthal added. “The DoE is committed to finding lighting solutions that work for turtles and people, and there is great potential to improve nesting habitat in this way.”
She explained that, with a limited budget at the DOE, companies such as Miller Lite can help with the project to protect turtle nesting populations.
“We are very grateful for all of the fundraising that Miller Lite has done this year to raise money for essential equipment for turtle conservation,” she added after receiving a cheque for $4,500 from the beer company, which was raised through fundraising events including island-wide beach clean-ups and donations from Miller Lite purchases.
So far the money has already been used to purchase supplies such as PVC pipe for marking nests and shades for lights. These items form part of a long-term plan to improve the nesting habitat for turtles in the Cayman Islands.
The public is encouraged to call the DoE Turtle Hotline 938-NEST (938-6378) if they see turtle nests, nesting turtles, or hatchlings or email DoE@gov.ky for more information.
Category: Science and Nature
Cites. Convention on International trade endangered species is the reason turtle parts that could be turned into useful products go to the landfill
To 0:35 and anybody else who don't know our history. There were no people or indian population living in any of the islands we call the Cayman Islands. The first people who lived here were British with other people from England ,Scottish, Irish ,welsh. From 1655 then in 1670 people mostly spanish jews with their slaves who were willing to swear allegiance to the english crown were allowed to stay in jamaica from 1670. They were also allowed to colonize the Cayman Islands after that time . 1732 is the year we had the most people from Great Britain come to these islands after stopping off to pick up their slaves from slave markets with fresh slaves from africa.
My great grandfather was a Watler who married a Tatum back in 1700's Here is our first family member from Wales and England. The population of the Cayman islands was half english and half african. It changed after 1835 when half of the population left to live in bay islands with their slaves because they did not get any compensation for the lost of slaves. The other half of the english portion of the plantation owners petition the king and they finally got some small money and they stayed . The children and new settlers from shipwrecks started marrying black ex slaves children. They are the original caymanians that have the nice atitudes and our proud of english, irish and scottish roots.
The king was told back in 1834 that if the ships that were passing by the cayman islands don't stop taking on turtles , they would be endangered.
So i guess that didnt happen and we're still eating turtle soup and turtle stew. So not trying to say that we shouldn't managed them. But we should still be able to eat our national dish if we so desire. So the best place ,that can happen at is the turtle farm.
The turtle farm is a viable profit making farm if the nansayers would just be fair. What i have been trying to say for 25 years is that we are going to kill so many for food why oh why should we dump the most valuable parts of the turtle??
The oil and the shell is worth 100's of thousands per year in sales. But why do we throw it away in the landfill ? Because of know it all people .
Great piece, with this exception:
British means people from England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland before independence.
United Kingdom means people from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Thats why the full official terminology is The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
"They are the original caymanians that have the nice atitudes" summarises an unhealthy xenphobic subtext to the entire post. And I suppose the benefit to endangered species of the ban in trade by reason of CITES is what is meant by "But why do we throw it away in the landfill ? Because of know it all people." The eating of turtle is abhorrent and barbaric.
Oh yes and the King wouldn't have cared abouit Cayman's turtles, or anything else for that matter. He was as mad as McKeeva on Cayman 27, although still technically the ruling monarch, his son was the Prince Regent in his stead. Queen Victoria ascended the throne in 1837.
Who were the locals that arrived? Europeans with their African slaves? Probably some of your family too so don’t point at the locals thanks.
This really is great news, may it long continue.
And to 00.35, wherever man is, there has been destruction of the animal worlds habitat…not just locals here. And given that most Caymanians originate from slaves bought here by the British, some of whom undoubtedly had little to eat, it is not surprising the turtle, crocodiles or whatever got on the menu. Brits have fish and chips, have you seen the numbers for Cod in the North Sea or Atlantic?…badly down, and many other marine breeds severely down. Blame man as a whole, not just the Cayman.
What a complete load of crap. This island was not colonised by the British to hold slaves, you may not have noticed, but unlike Jamaica this island produces nothing of value to the outside world and certainly nothing that would be recognised as colonial treasure.
Read your own history, Cayman was founded on the passing trade of ships and the fresh turtle meat that they could offer.
It is true that some slaves may have found their way to Cayman with colonial families, but the vast majority of settlers were of British decent. The overwhelming majority of Caymanians that now call the Cayman Islands home are the result of recent decades of immigration since these islands started to offer financial and tourism services to the world.
That is why the the racial and cultural mix is so diverse, it has nothing to do with slavery, as much as that doesn't fit with the political correct idea of the Caribbean.
Great job DoE and the unpaid volunteers!
"Food, glorious food…"
Wht don't you put in a bid to buy the Turtle Farm and save us all a heap of money?
The increase in turtle nests is good news! I think it's great seeing the turtles when diving and I'm sure most divers feel the same. Is there any nest count for the Sister Islands?
“We would like to thank hotel and condo managers, beach front property owners, and CUC for turning off lights on the beach to protect these nests. Together, we have already protected over 5,500 hatchlings, and the work of protecting the years’ hatchlings is just beginning,” she added.
They also allowed a entire nest to perish in South Sound. Having alerted the DOE to a nest that was hatching, they claimed they would send someone to monitor. Did they? No. Were there 80+ dead turtles in the middle of the road the next day? Yep.
Cayman concentrating on the positives again!
I'm extremely sad to hear that a hatchling misorientation could have been prevented. Would you be willing to call or email me to talk about this? I am the coordinator of the Department of Environment Marine Turtle Research Programme and I can be reached at 949-8469 or Janice.Blumenthal@gov.ky.
To report turtle nests, tracks, nesting turtles, or hatchlings outside working hours we have a dedicated DoE Turtle Hotline 938-NEST (938-6378) or the DoE Chief Conservation Officer can be reached at 916-4271.
One of the main goals of the marine turtle monitoring program is to protect hatchlings, as most nests are now are laid on lighted beaches and hatchlings from these nests would otherwise be misoriented. For each nest found during our monitoring, we predict a probable range of hatch dates so that we can work with property owners to make sure that all lights in the area of the nest are switched off or shielded for the period when the nest might hatch, or when this is not possible, so that we can put measures such as monitored traps or tarp barricades in place on the nights of the hatch.
Due to the nesting increase, by the end of this season we expect nests in Grand Cayman to produce more than 20,000 hatchlings. A permanent solution for their protection would be the installation of “turtle friendly" lighting on nesting beaches – this would go a long way toward preventing accidental misorientations of hatchlings from our known nests as well as misorientations of hatchlings from nests not found during our monitoring.
We are very grateful for the assistance of volunteers and members of the public in these efforts and I am very sorry to hear about your experience. I would appreciate your time if you could contact me.
Thanks,
Janice
Yes, DoE monitoring of turtle nesting in Cayman Brac and Little Cayman is made possible with the help of many extremely dedicated volunteers. A record number of nests has also been found in the Sister Islands – full results will be available soon.
Its just nice to read a story about something positive!
Go turtles.
Hardly one of the most successful years, since turtles were doing far better for a long time before “locals” arrived and viewed them as a national dish.
I think she meant since they have been trying to save the turtles not when settlers first came to the Cayman Islands.