Latest news with #Loggerhead
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
From Jekyll to Wassaw to Tybee, sea turtle experiences in Georgia and education await
Requiem's flapping flippers almost sounded like bird wings fluttering as Morgan Flannagan, a Georgia Sea Turtle Center hospital technician, pulled the green sea turtle from a rehabilitation tank. Flannagan dried the turtle off and took it inside to the center's hospital room. 'Sea turtles don't have health insurance,' said Michelle Kaylor, the Jekyll Island center's director. She and a crowd of center visitors watched Requiem through the hospital room's public observation window as the endangered turtle was fitted with a microchip on June 6. The turtle, whose sex is not known, was nearly ready to be returned to the ocean since arriving May 3 with a large J hook embedded in its esophagus. Kaylor said Loggerhead and Green Sea turtles account for most of the center's patients, many of which have suffered human-caused injuries. In addition to sea turtles, people bring other wildlife in need of triage to the center. Situations could also involve diamondback terrapins as well as birds such as eagles. Sea turtle cases can come from off the coast of Georgia's 15 barrier islands or as far north as the Massachusetts. Some turtles that travel to the Cape Cod area can get cold-stunned because they get stuck in bay due to the land mass shape and, since they cannot internally regulate their body temperature, become hypothermic. Such situations come to the New England Aquarium, Kaylor said. 'They'll triage them, take them in, and then they, with NOAA, coordinate sending them out to different facilities throughout the U.S.,' she said. Providing emergency and rehabilitation care for Loggerheads, Kemps Ridley, Leatherback and Green sea turtles is merely one element in a series of decades-long conservation efforts made by the center and other organizations within the Georgia Sea Turtle Cooperative, which is coordinated in part by Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Wildlife Conservation Section Sea Turtle Program Coordinator Mark Dodd. Dodd said some conversation efforts started as far back as the late-1960s under former University of Georgia Odum School of Ecology Professor Jim Richardson, who retired in 2016. His research on shrimping trawls leading to stranded sea turtles helped lead to federal protection. He was also instrumental in the early expansion of the use of TEDs or turtle excluder devices, which prevent turtles from becoming ensnared in shrimping and fishing nets. Throughout coastal Georgia, multiple organizations afford turtle enthusiasts to learn such tidbits and more through educational and experiential opportunities. Home Free: Mystic Aquarium released 22 rehabilitated sea turtles back into the wild on Jekyll Island Pump the brakes: Marine Science Center reminds drivers to slow down for terrapin crossings In addition to the hospital viewing room and the ability to observe turtles in the rehabilitation pavilion, the center offers interactive educational activities. It also features a full scale replica of a prehistoric sea turtle in its gift shop. Proceeds from the shop and admissions tickets help fund the center and its programs. The center has rehabilitated and released nearly 750 sea turtles since it opened in 2007. Where: 214 Stable Road, Jekyll Island, Georgia Cost: $9 for ages 4-12, $11 for teens and adults. Yearly supporter membership options are offered as well as group rates. Website: The Caretta Research Project is not a facility. Education and Outreach Coordinator Kristen Zemaitis said its unique program is volunteer operated. People pay to stay on the Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge for week. On any given week of the program, six volunteers and two biologists collect data for research. "Everyone who comes out there during the summer learns firsthand what it's like to be a biologist, what it is that these turtles need," Zemaitis said. Roughly 100 people can access the experience each summer, and about 40% of them are returner volunteers who share their experience with others and wind up bringing folks back with them. "We've had people from six countries and all 50 states," she said. Caretta also partners with schools to bring sea turtle education into the classroom. All the organization's efforts serve its mission "to ensure the long-term protection and full recovery of the Northwest Atlantic loggerhead population and the ecological roles that it plays through research, conservation and education.' Where: offices located in Savannah, but sea turtle research and protection activities occur on Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge Cost: ranges from $950 to $1,100 per person per week depending on time of registration Website: Tybee Island Marine Science Center's Veterinary Tech Sarah Alley and others offer educational programming for locals and tourists alike. The center's biologists and approved volunteers also actively track and relocate turtle nests on the island, which are up to eight as of June 13. Much like the Sea Turtle Center, the science center on Tybee addresses the needs of and educates the public about more than Loggerheads and Leatherbacks. The public can learn about bird migrations and about wildlife such as horseshoe crabs, sea gulls, diamondback terrapin and more. Tybee's center offers year-round walks on the beaches and in the marshes. It also often shows local artists' works in its Coastal Galleries such as Cat Ward's "Deep Dive" installation. Reach out to see how you might be able to assist with ongoing conservation and research initiatives on Tybee and Little Tybee Islands. Where: 37 Meddin Drive, Tybee Island, Georgia Cost: 4 and under are free while children 5-12, seniors and military personnel pay $12, regular admission is $15 Website: Dodd said all the sea turtle conservation efforts across the state aim to to restore turtles to a "viable population that's fulfilling its role in the ecosystem." He said in some ways the population is getting to that point, noting a recent situation at the Jekyll center where a gravid female had to be euthanized. The turtle was brought in because it was missing significant portions of its front flippers. Unlike Requiem, though, the other turtle's injuries weren't caused by humans. Biologists determine that it had been bitten by a shark. In a way, the biologists let natural selection take its course since the turtle could no longer swim or feed. Dodd said getting ever closer to that viable population would mean humans can start to scale back their interventions while continuing to innovate elements such as the TEDs. Zemaitis said full recovery to the Caretta Project refers to "full recovery of the entire North Atlantic recovery unit." She said while Georgia and and Florida may appear to have huge spokes in nesting, challenges could still be facing turtles on the coasts of North Carolina and South Carolina. Cape Romain, South Carolina, for example, typically sees 1000s of Loggerhead nests, the largest amount outside of Florida. "It is now almost completely inundated at high tide due to sea level rise, and their dunes have been flattened from hurricanes," she said. Over 98% of this year's sea turtle nests in Georgia belong to the Loggerhead species. Six are Green Sea Turtle nests and four are unknown. While Greens and Leatherbacks are commonly spotted foraging off the Georgia coast, they tend to nest elsewhere. Dodd expects this to be an average year, in relation to the last decade's worth of counts, with around 2,500 nests. DNR logged the most nests in a single year back in 2022 with over 4,000 documented throughout the state. When Dodd started at DNR in 1999 the Collective was tracking roughly 1,500 nests a year. Dodd said macro data implies turtles nest about every two to three years, so its not surprising the numbers are average this year. DNR knows this because, every year, the contents of a single egg from each found nest is sent to DNR and University of Georgia (UGA) Senior Research Scientist Brian Shamblin for maternal DNA analysis. All member organizations of the state's Sea Turtle Cooperative contribute to the DNA collection, which now has decades of data that can pinpoint nesting habits of individual turtles, some of which are are 70+ years old. He said while the statistics are complicated, DNR believes it has identified a grandmother Loggerhead. 'So that's a female that's over 100 that is still reproductively active,' he said. Joseph Schwartzburt is the education and workforce development reporter for the Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at JSchwartzburt@ and JoeInTheKnow_SMN on Instagram. This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Sea turtle conservation in Georgia has been decades in the making
Kuwait Times
18-06-2025
- General
- Kuwait Times
Kenya NGO saves turtles from nets, plastic and rising tides
A small charity on the Kenyan coast has become vital to the region's majestic turtle population, saving thousands from poachers, fishermen's nets and ever-worsening plastic pollution. On the beach of the seaside town of Watamu, it took four men to heave the huge Loggerhead sea turtle into the back of a car. She had just been saved from a fishing tackle and was then taken to a nearby clinic to be checked for injuries, then weighed, tagged and released back into the sea. A Kenyan NGO, Local Ocean Conservation (LOC), has been doing this work for almost three decades and has carried out some 24,000 rescues. 'Every time I release a turtle, it's a really great joy for me. My motivation gets stronger and stronger,' said Fikiri Kiponda, 47, who has been part of LOC's 20-odd staff for 16 years. LOC began life in 1997 as a group of volunteers who hated seeing the creatures being eaten or dying in nets. Turtles are still poached for their shells, meat and oil. But through the charity's awareness campaigns in schools and villages, 'perceptions have significantly changed', said Kiponda. LOC, which relies mostly on donations, compensates fishermen for bringing them injured turtles. More than 1,000 fishermen participate in the scheme and mostly do so for the sake of conservation, the charity emphasized, since the reward does not offset the hours of lost labour. A young Hawksbill sea turtle, under observation at the rehabilitation centre of Local Ocean Conservation, is transported to a local hospital for an x-ray scan in Watamu.--AFP photos A young Green sea turtle released by staff from Local conservation makes its way back into the ocean in Watamu. Fikiri Kaponda and Jonathan from the Local Ocean Conservation prepares to release a young Green sea turtle that was caught by a fisherman. A staff member from the Local Ocean Conservation puts a tag on the back flipper of a young Green sea turtle that was caught by a fisherman. Staff members from Local Ocean Conservation and fishermen carry a mature Loggerhead sea turtle from a fishing boat, that was hooked out on the open water. A staff member from Local Ocean Conservation relocates sea turtle eggs from a nesting site that was to close to the water. Staff from Local Ocean Conservation and fishermen lifting a mature Loggerhead sea turtle into a car. A general view of a x-ray scan of a Green sea turtle, that floats but is unable to dive, under observation at the rehabilitation center of Local Ocean Conservation Watamu Hospital. Pupils look at a sea turtle during a visit at the Local Ocean Conservation. Floating turtles At the NGO's nearby clinic, health coordinator Lameck Maitha, 34, said turtles are often treated for broken bones and tumours caused by a disease called fibropapillomatosis. One current in-patient is Safari, a young Olive Ridley turtle around 15 years old - turtles can live beyond 100 - transported by plane from further up the coast. She arrived in a dire state, barely alive and with a bone protruding from her flipper, which ultimately had to be amputated - likely the result of fighting to free herself from a fisherman's net. Safari has been recovering well and the clinic hopes she can return to the sea. Other frequent tasks include removing barnacles that embed themselves in shells and flippers, weakening their host. But a growing danger is plastic pollution. If a turtle eats plastic, it can create a blockage that in turn creates gas, making the turtle float and unable to dive. In these cases, the clinic gives the turtle laxatives to clear out its system. 'We are seeing more and more floating turtles because the ocean has so much plastic,' said Maitha. Survivors LOC also works to protect 50 to 100 nesting sites, threatened by rising sea levels. Turtles travel far and wide but always lay their eggs on the beach where they were born, and Watamu is one of the most popular spots. Every three or four years, they produce hundreds of eggs, laid during multiple sessions over several months, that hatch after around 60 days. The charity often relocates eggs that have been laid too close to the sea. Marine biologist Joey Ngunu, LOC's technical manager, always calls the first to appear Kevin. 'And once Kevin comes out, the rest follow,' he said with a smile, describing the slow, clumsy procession to the water, preferably at night to avoid predators as much as possible. Only one in a thousand reaches adulthood of 20 to 25 years. 'Living in the sea as a turtle must be crazy. You have to face so many dangers, fish and poachers, and now human pressure with plastic and commercial fishing,' he said. 'Turtles are definitely survivors.' — AFP
Hi Dubai
17-06-2025
- General
- Hi Dubai
Jumeirah Releases 72 Rehabilitated Sea Turtles on World Sea Turtle Day
In a powerful show of commitment to marine conservation, Jumeirah released 72 rehabilitated sea turtles into the Arabian Gulf today to mark World Sea Turtle Day. The event, held in collaboration with community members, guests, and partners, highlights the success of the Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project (DTRP), which has returned over 2,300 turtles to the wild since its inception in 2004. Among the turtles released was Najeeb, an 80kg male Green turtle rescued with severe injuries in December 2024. Now fully recovered, Najeeb is one of two turtles fitted with a satellite tracker to monitor his journey post-release. Past tracked turtles have travelled as far as nesting sites in Oman, offering valuable insights into migratory patterns. This year also brought a rare scientific discovery: a Loggerhead hatchling—unprecedented in the Arabian Gulf, where the species is not known to nest. Though not yet released, the turtle's presence is seen as a breakthrough in understanding regional marine biodiversity. Parallel events took place at other Jumeirah properties. In Abu Dhabi, 135 turtles were released in partnership with the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi. In Bali, newly hatched turtles were returned to the ocean alongside educational activities promoting conservation awareness. Beyond rehabilitation, Jumeirah is scaling up coral restoration efforts at its Turtle Lagoon with over 3,000 coral fragments created and hundreds reintroduced to the sea. The group is also supporting the DUBAI REEF initiative, one of the world's largest artificial reef projects, aiming to deploy 20,000 modules across 600 square kilometres. With initiatives extending to resorts in Tanzania and the Maldives, Jumeirah's marine preservation efforts reflect a broader sustainability strategy focused on protecting ocean life and ecosystems for generations to come. News Source: Emirates News Agency
Syyaha
16-06-2025
- General
- Syyaha
JUMEIRAH MARKS WORLD SEA TURTLE DAY WITH NEW MILESTONES IN MARINE CONSERVATION
United Arab Emirates, Dubai, 16 June 2025: In celebration of World Sea Turtle Day, Jumeirah – together with members of the community, guests and partners – released 72 rehabilitated sea turtles back into their natural habitat this morning. The release included Hawksbill and Green turtles, and marks a significant milestone for the Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project (DTRP), with over 2,300 turtles now returned to the wild since its launch in 2004. Among those released was Najeeb – meaning 'noble' and 'generous' in Arabic – an 80kg male Green turtle rescued in December 2024 with severe injuries to both front flippers. Najeeb was one of two turtles fitted with a satellite tracker, allowing the DTRP team to monitor his journey after release. The last time the team released a male Green turtle of similar size, it travelled all the way to nesting sites in Oman. Najeeb is one of many turtles nursed back to health by the dedicated team at the DTRP, based at Jumeirah Burj Al Arab and Jumeirah Al Naseem. Each release marks a meaningful step forward in the ongoing mission to protect marine life and preserve biodiversity in the Arabian Gulf. This year, the DTRP reached a significant conservation milestone with the rare rescue of a Loggerhead baby – a species not known to nest in the Arabian Gulf. The tiny turtle, discovered earlier this year, represents an important finding in marine science for the region. According to experts from the IUCN and regional organisations, there are no previous records of Loggerhead turtles nesting inside the Gulf. 'This was a remarkable moment for our team and a meaningful step forward in our understanding of sea turtles in the Gulf,' commented Barbara Lang-Lenton, Director of Aquarium at Jumeirah Burj Al Arab and DTRP lead. ' Sea turtles have remarkably complex biology, and there is still much to uncover about their behaviours, migration patterns, and nesting habits in this region. Each new finding, like this one, helps us piece together a more complete picture of their presence and life cycles in the Gulf, guiding future conservation efforts. Although the Loggerhead baby was not part of today's release, it is expected to return to the wild in the coming months. This discovery follows another milestone in 2024, when a Green turtle nest was recorded in Abu Dhabi for the first time, underscoring the growing importance of the region in global marine conservation efforts. To further celebrate World Sea Turtle Day, a variety of conservation-focused activities took place across Jumeirah's portfolio. In Abu Dhabi, Jumeirah Saadiyat Island, in partnership with the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), hosted an intimate release of 135 sea turtles on its pristine beachfront. Meanwhile, guests at Jumeirah Bali witnessed the release of newly hatched turtles into their natural habitat, as part of a long-standing collaboration with Eco Tourism Bali. The event also featured an engaging educational programme on sea turtle conservation and the importance of protecting marine biodiversity – fostering greater awareness of ocean health and encouraging responsible travel. Beyond turtle rehabilitation, Jumeirah has been expanding its marine conservation initiatives through coral restoration efforts – one of several projects under the 'Planet' pillar of its sustainability strategy. A new coral nursery at the Turtle Lagoon in Jumeirah Al Naseem is now visible to guests and incorporated into daily educational experiences. In collaboration with ecosystem restoration specialists Ocean Revive, the team is researching and testing new technologies to grow and reintroduce corals into the sea. So far over 1,400 fragments have been created, with over 300 already translocated to the sea. In addition, Jumeirah continues to support DUBAI REEF – a pioneering purpose-built reef development and one of the largest in the world – which aims to increase marine biodiversity and protect the emirate's coastal ecosystems. Reflecting Dubai's commitment to marine conservation, the three-year initiative will see over 20,000 reef modules deployed across 600 square kilometres to restore marine habitats and support the growth of indigenous corals, thereby enhancing marine life. As part of this initiative, Jumeirah is contributing through coral fragmentation work at the turtle lagoon at Jumeirah Al Naseem, where small coral fragments – known as 'frags' – are attached to circular discs, often called 'coral cookies', providing a stable base for growth and easy handling. To date, more than 3,000 coral fragments have been created through this process, contributing to the initiative's broader goal to help repopulate and strengthen local reef systems. Jumeirah's commitment to marine preservation extends across its global portfolio, with impactful initiatives at its resorts in Tanzania and the Maldives. At Jumeirah Thanda Island, the team partners with local NGOs Marine Megafauna Foundation (MMF) and Sea Sense to protect whale sharks and endangered turtles and engage local communities through education and conservation training. In the Maldives, guests at Jumeirah Olhahali Island actively contribute to reef restoration to help regenerate the vibrant marine habitats that surround the resort. These interconnected efforts reflect Jumeirah's wider sustainability vision, grounded in the principles of people, planet and responsible governance. With every turtle released, coral fragment planted, and guest educated, the brand reaffirms its mission to preserve the marine ecosystems that surround its hotels and resorts. For information on sustainability at Jumeirah and to learn more about the DTRP, visit Sustainability | About Jumeirah | Jumeirah.
RTÉ News
12-06-2025
- Health
- RTÉ News
Kenya NGO saves turtles from nets, plastic and rising tides
A small charity on the Kenyan coast has become vital to the region's majestic turtle population, saving thousands from poachers, fishermen's nets and ever-worsening plastic pollution. On the beach of the seaside town of Watamu, it took four men to heave the huge Loggerhead sea turtle into the back of a car. She had just been saved from a fishing tackle and was then taken to a nearby clinic to be checked for injuries, then weighed, tagged and released back into the sea. A Kenyan NGO, Local Ocean Conservation (LOC), has been doing this work for almost three decades and has carried out some 24,000 rescues. "Every time I release a turtle, it's a really great joy for me. My motivation gets stronger and stronger," said Fikiri Kiponda, 47, who has been part of LOC's 20-odd staff for 16 years. LOC began life in 1997 as a group of volunteers who hated seeing the creatures being eaten or dying in nets. Turtles are still poached for their shells, meat and oil. But through the charity's awareness campaigns in schools and villages, "perceptions have significantly changed", said Mr Kiponda. LOC, which relies mostly on donations, compensates fishermen for bringing them injured turtles. More than 1,000 fishermen participate in the scheme and mostly do so for the sake of conservation, the charity emphasised, since the reward does not offset the hours of lost labour. Floating turtles At the NGO's nearby clinic, health coordinator Lameck Maitha, 34, said turtles are often treated for broken bones and tumours caused by a disease called fibropapillomatosis. One current in-patient is Safari, a young Olive Ridley turtle around 15 years old - turtles can live beyond 100 - transported by plane from further up the coast. She arrived in a dire state, barely alive and with a bone protruding from her flipper, which ultimately had to be amputated - likely the result of fighting to free herself from a fisherman's net. Safari has been recovering well and the clinic hopes she can return to the sea. Other frequent tasks include removing barnacles that embed themselves in shells and flippers, weakening their host. But a growing danger is plastic pollution. If a turtle eats plastic, it can create a blockage that in turn creates gas, making the turtle float and unable to dive. In these cases, the clinic gives the turtle laxatives to clear out its system. "We are seeing more and more floating turtles because the ocean has so much plastic," said Maitha. Survivors LOC also works to protect 50 to 100 nesting sites, threatened by rising sea levels. Turtles travel far and wide but always lay their eggs on the beach where they were born, and Watamu is one of the most popular spots. Every three or four years, they produce hundreds of eggs, laid during multiple sessions over several months, that hatch after around 60 days. The charity often relocates eggs that have been laid too close to the sea. Marine biologist Joey Ngunu, LOC's technical manager, always calls the first to appear Kevin. "And once Kevin comes out, the rest follow," he said with a smile, describing the slow, clumsy procession to the water, preferably at night to avoid predators as much as possible. Only one in a thousand reaches adulthood of 20 to 25 years. "Living in the sea as a turtle must be crazy. You have to face so many dangers, fish and poachers, and now human pressure with plastic and commercial fishing," he said.
