Wildlife News
July 2008
Sea Turtles Need our Help!
There are 5 species of sea turtles inhabiting the Gulf of Mexico, all of which are considered to be either threatened or endangered:
• Kemp’s ridley Sea Turtle
• Green Sea Turtle
• Leatherback Sea Turtle
• Atlantic Hawksbill Sea Turtle
• Loggerhead Sea Turtle
Some of the threats these sea turtles face in the Gulf are drowning in shrimp nets, getting caught in hook and line, vehicle traffic, development of beaches, ocean and light pollution. Sea Turtle populations are slowly recovering thanks to the collaborative effort of the scientific community, grass roots organizations and many dedicated people.
One such species of sea turtle, the Kemp’s ridley, is the smallest and the most critically endangered. They were listed in 1970 under the Endangered Species Act. There are approximately 2,500 nesting females left in the world today. However, just 50 years ago, 40,000 females were filmed nesting in just one day on a single beach. Due to more stringent laws, requirements for shrimp boats to use TEDS (Turtle Excluder Devices) and head start programs have all aided in the slow but hopeful return of this magnificent sea dwelling herp. The shell of the Kemp's ridley ranges in color from an olive to gray-green and is oval or heart shaped. The food of the adult Kemp’s ridley includes crabs, shrimp and fish.
Female Kemp’s nest only in the Gulf of Mexico. It is the only sea turtle that consistently nests during the day. Kemp’s ridleys and Olive ridleys share a unique nesting behavior known as the arribada (which means “arrival” in Spanish). Breeding female turtles congregate in the waters in front of the beach and, on some as yet unknown cue, emerge from the sea all at once. Nesting season usually occurs from April to July. Kemp’s ridleys lay about 100 eggs in each nest. Egg incubation takes from 48 to 62 days depending on the temperature of the sand. Today, the most significant nesting sites of the Kemp's ridley are at Rancho Nuevo and Veracruz, Mexico. A small, but growing, number of females is re-establishing a nesting colony at Padre Island National Seashore, on the Texas coast and the numbers are on the rise!
So far this year, 190 Kemp's ridley nests have been confirmed on the Texas coast including: Bolivar Peninsula 5, Galveston Island 6, Brazoria County just north of Surfside 1, Surfside Beach 2, Quintana Beach 1, Bryan Beach 0, Matagorda Peninsula 0, Matagorda Island 13, San Jose Island 4, Mustang Island 5, North Padre Island 102, including 91 at Padre Island National Seashore, South Padre Island 40, Boca Chica Beach 11
The 190 exceeds the previous record of 128 Kemp's ridley nests found in Texas set during 2007. This marks the fifth consecutive year that record numbers of Kemp's ridley nests have been recorded in Texas since record keeping began in 1980. 1 leatherback sea turtle nest has been confirmed on the Texas coast at the Padre Island National Seashore. (This is the first leatherback nest recorded on the Texas coast in 30 years!)
DON'T MISS A HATCHLING RELEASE!
Seeing a release of the most endangered sea turtle is an experience you don't want to miss. Go to http://www.nps.gov/pais/ for information on probable dates of public releases. Then, call 1-361-949-7163 to get up-to-the-minute reports on when and where the hatchlings will be released. Children (and their parents) will never forget the experience.
Houston Zoo Helping Sea Turtles!
EDUCATION & AWARENESS
1-866-TURTLE-5 Beach Signs
For the 2008 nesting season The Houston Zoo Conservation Department helped sponsor the production of the Sea Turtle Hotline Signs that can be found all along Galveston Beaches. 1-866-TURLTE-5 has been set up to assist and ensure all Texas residents and visitors have one place to report sea turtle sightings anywhere in the state all the way from the Louisiana to Mexico borders. By calling 1-866-TURLTLE-5 you will alert trained responders who will advise you about what to do and will likely respond to the beach where the turtle, nest or hatchling was found. This will assure the turtle or hatchlings will have treatment, rehabilitation, and be protected by the scientists until they are ready to be released.
Sea Turtle Saturday
The Houston Zoo proudly hosted the 2008 Sea Turtle Saturday Symposium. We had a line up of informative lectures given by the regions most renowned sea turtle experts aimed to educate the public on these conservation efforts. There was turtle tracker training offered in the afternoon for interested volunteers and a local sea turtle organization booth with patrol T-shirts, membership information and more!
BREAKING NEWS:
The Houston Zoo will host Sea Turtle Saturday again next spring. Save the Date for February 21, 2009! Details coming soon!
MEDICAL CARE
Dr. Joe Flanagan and
Veterinary Staff
Dr Flanagan has worked as veterinarian at the Houston Zoo for 25 years. He and his staff have provided veterinary care to sea turtles under the care of NOAA/NMFS since the mid 1980s including head-start and rehabilitated animals.
In a normal year they may assist with medical care for dozens of turtles including removal of hooks or rehabilitation due to other causes. Watching animals return to the wild gives Dr. Joe the greatest job satisfaction.
