Plight of the Sea Turtles Sea turtles are among the oldest creatures on earth. However, they face an uncertain future. Sea turtles are threatened in many ways, such as encroachment of coastal development on their nesting beaches, encounters with pollutants and marine debris, accidental drowning in fishing gear, and international trade in turtle meat and products. Photo courtesy of Turtle Trax C UKB&PAB

Photo courtesy of Ray Carthy Biology of Sea Turtles 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 Sea turtles are air-breathing reptiles well suited to life in the sea. Their hydrodynamic shape, large size, and powerful front flippers allow them to dive deep and swim great distances. After leaving the nest as hatchlings males never return to shore, and females only come back long enough to lay eggs. Unlike terrestrial relatives, they cannot retract their heads very far into their shells. In most sea turtles, the top shell or carapace, is composed of many bones covered with scales or “scutes”. Turtles don’t have teeth, but have powerful jaws to eat with. They range from 85 to around 2000 pounds. Most sea turtles grow slowly and have a life span of many decades. Although they can stay submerged for hours at a time, they typically surface several times an hour to breathe. Photo courtesy of Ray Carthy

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

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

Photos courtesy of Ray Carthy 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 In summer, the female crawls ashore to dig a nest in the sand. She lays about 100 eggs the size of ping-pong balls. When she’s done, the turtle covers the eggs, camouflages the site by smoothing out the sand, and returns to the ocean. They may return several times in a season but only nests every 2 to 3 years. As with some other reptiles, the temperature of the nest determines the sex of the hatchlings. Warmer temperatures produce more females, and cooler temperatures result in more males. Photos courtesy of Ray Carthy

Nesting Behavior Female turtles often appear to weep when nesting Female sea turtles often appear to be weeping as they nest; the main purpose for these tears is to remove salt from the turtle’s body. Photo Courtesy of Ray Carthy

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

Photo courtesy of Ray Carthy 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 Named for their green body fat, European settlers valued them for their meat, hides, eggs, and calipee ( the fat attached to the lower shell that formed the basis of turtle soup) Photo courtesy of Ray Carthy

Many of Florida’s green turtles have tumors called fibropapillomas. Researchers believe these growths are caused by a virus but have not yet isolated a specific pathogen. The number of green turtles with these tumors appears to be increasing. Photo courtesy of Turtle Trax

Ocular Tumors Photo courtesy of Turtle Trax

Photo Courtesy of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Leatherback Turtle 3000 ft divers Regulate body temperature 30-60 nests Leatherbacks turtles can dive deeper than any other air-breathing animal except perhaps sperm whales and elephant seals. Photo Courtesy of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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

Loggerhead Turtle Most common sea turtle in Florida The beaches of Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin, and Palm Beach counties are the most important loggerhead nursery areas in the Western Hemisphere, attracting more than 15,000 female loggerheads each May through August. On Florida’s east coast, the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge serves as a nursery for approximately one-quarter of all loggerhead nests in the Western Hemisphere. Photo courtesy of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Photo courtesy of Ray Carthy 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

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

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

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

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

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

Photos Courtesy of Ray Carthy Lighting Photos Courtesy of Ray Carthy

Photos courtesy of Ray Carthy Crows and Ghost Crabs Photos courtesy of Ray Carthy

Photos courtesy of Ray Carthy Coyotes and Foxes Photos courtesy of Ray Carthy

Photo Courtesy of Ray Carthy Raccoons Photo Courtesy of Ray Carthy

Photo by Margaret Lamont Beach Driving Photo by Margaret Lamont

Additional Threats to Turtles Trawling TED’s Pollution Use pictures for each of these subjects.jpeg files

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

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

Turtle Exclusion Device Photo Courtesy of ACCSTR

Photo courtesy of Ray Carthy Pollution Photo courtesy of Ray Carthy

Coastal Impacts Beach Armoring Coastal Development Beach Renourishment

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

Photo courtesy of Ray Carthy Coastal Development Photo courtesy of Ray Carthy

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

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

Photos courtesy of Ray Carthy 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

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

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

Florida Marine Research Institute Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network 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

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

Photo courtesy of Ray Carthy How You Can Help Photo courtesy of Ray Carthy

Solutions To Decrease Light 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

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

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?

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

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

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

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