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Sea Turtle Migration-Tracking & Coastal Habitat Education Program An Educator's Guide Information about sea turtle natural history, coastal habitat ecology, high technology research and conservation efforts to protect sea turtles and their habitats.

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Page 1: Sea Turtle Migration-Tracking & Coastal Habitat Educators ... · The Sea Turtle Migration-Tracking & Coastal Habitat Education Program (Pro-gram) is designed to capture the interest

Sea Turtle Migration-Tracking &Coastal Habitat Education Program

An Educator's GuideInformation about sea turtle natural history, coastal habitat ecology, high

technology research and conservation efforts to protect sea turtles and their habitats.

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AAAAAcccccknoknoknoknoknowwwwwledgmentsledgmentsledgmentsledgmentsledgments

This booklet has been prepared by the Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC), with funding provided byProject AWARE Foundation, Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Florida Council on EnvironmentalEducation, Orinoco Foundation, The Educational Foundation of America, Kenneth A. Scott CharitableTrust, Elizabeth Ordway Dunn Foundation, Conservation Education Foundation and the Disney World-wide Conservation Fund.

Funding for this booklet was also provided in part by a grant awardedfrom the Sea Turtle Grants Program. The Sea Turtle Grants Program isfunded from proceeds from the sale of the Florida Sea Turtle License Plate.Learn more at www.helpingseaturtles.org

Special thanks go to STC staff and volunteers for helping gather information and materials for thisbooklet. Brief excerpts from "Florida's Sea Turtles," a booklet produced by Florida Power and LightCompany, were used in this booklet.

We especially want to thank Gayle Nelson Evans for help with developing and writing the lessonplans and activities, Dr. Arthur J. Lewis for providing comments on the educational curriculum portion ofthis booklet, Dr. Anne Meylen (Florida Marine Research Institute) and Paul Tritaik (U.S. Fish and Wild-life Service) for providing comments on the sea turtle and coastal habitat portions of the booklet. Specialthanks to all the researchers and organizations that allowed data from their satellite-tracking research onsea turtles to be made available to the public on STC's website.

Edited by Daniel Evans, Rocio Johnson & David Godfrey

8 2010, Caribbean Conservation CorporationFIFTH EDITION

Most artwork in this Guide was hand-drawn by Peggy Cavanaugh and Deirdre Hyde. Several images were created by Dan Evans,David Godfrey, Susan Marynowski, Jeanne Mortimer, Amy Breeze, Caroline Reiners and Gayle Evans. The sea turtle size compari-son on Page 7 was adapted from one prepared by Earth Island Institute. The coastal community diagram on Page 21 was adapted

from one prepared by the Environmentally Endangered Lands Program of Brevard county.

Text and artwork may be copied for educational purposes only andmust include reference to Sea Turtle Conservancy as the source.

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A Word to Educators ...................................................................................................... Page 1

About the Caribbean Conservation Corp. .................................................................. Pages 2

Sea Turtles:

A Brief Overview ..................................................................................................... Pages 3

What is Extinction? .................................................................................................... Page 4

Differences Between the Species ...........................................................................Pages 5-6

The Five Species Found in U.S. Waters ................................................................Pages 7-9

Scientific Classification ............................................................................................ Page 10

Behavior Patterns ..................................................................................................... Page 11

Nesting, Incubation and Emergence ................................................................. Pages 12-13

Migration and Navigation Abilities ................................................................... Pages 14-16

Threats to Their Survival .................................................................................. Pages 17-18

Conservation Strategies ..................................................................................... Pages 19-20

What to Do If You Encounter a Nesting Sea Turtle .............................................. Page 20

Coastal Habitats:

Florida's Coastal Communities .......................................................................... Pages 21-23

Threats to Coastal Communities ............................................................................Page 24

Protecting Beach and Dune Ecosystems ............................................................Pages 25-26

Getting Involved:

What You Can Do To Get Involved ....................................................................... Page 27

Tips For Writing Letters to Decision-Makers .......................................................... Page 27

Glossary of Terms ......................................................................................................... Page 28

Appendix A: National Standards ................................................................................. Page 29

Appendix B: Sunshine State Standards ........................................................................ Page 31

TTTTTable of Contable of Contable of Contable of Contable of Contentsentsentsentsents

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ea turtles are some of the most mysterious and time-honored creatures onearth. The Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC), through its educational programsand conservation initiatives, is helping ensure the gentle sea turtle remains awild and thriving part of the natural landscape.

The most serious threats to sea turtle survival are directly caused by the actions ofpeople. The same is true for many animal species now listed as endangered or threat-ened. It is also true that as humans we have the unique ability to learn about how weare affecting the world around us and to change our behavior accordingly. Educationis the key.

The Sea Turtle Migration-Tracking & Coastal Habitat Education Program (Pro-gram) is designed to capture the interest of young minds in issues surrounding seaturtles, coastal habitats and cutting edge research techniques. This Program can har-ness their interest, and in the process, teach them about sea turtle biology, coastalhabitat ecology, the threats both sea turtles and coastal habitats face, how they can getinvolved in conservation and take personal responsibility for their actions through theactivities, lesson plans and a host of related scientific and geographic topics.

This Educator's Guide will provide the background information you need toincorporate the Program into your classroom. The Guide is designed as a resource foryou. You can then download classroom activities, lesson plans and worksheets (forboth primary and secondary levels) that you can easily photocopy for use as a hand-out. You will find activities that incorporate art, math, geography, political science,writing and biology.

As a way for students to take a personal interest in one of the satellite-trackedturtles, and as a way to support sea turtle conservation, we invite your class to "adopt"a turtle. Several classes will likely adopt each of the satellite tracked turtles, whosenames have already been given. If you want to be the sole adoptive class of a greenturtle and name the turtle yourselves, you can choose to adopt one we have flippertagged while nesting in Costa Rica. Please visit the STC website or call 1-800-678-7853to learn more.

In this Guide, you will find background material to begin teaching your studentsabout sea turtle biology, navigation and migration, the threats sea turtles face and whatmust be done to protect them. In addition, you will find background information oncoastal ecology and issues related to the protection of this natural resource. On STC'swebsite (http://www.conserveturtles.org) you will find an "Educator's Corner" thatincludes classroom resources and activities, links to sea turtle tracking maps, photosand videos of sea turtles, self grading quizzes, and educational puzzles and games.

As you use the Guide and additional resources in the classroom, we encourageyou to take note and let us know of any ideas you have about how we can improve itsusefulness. We also welcome sharing any activities you develop with other educator'sby allowing STC to post your idea on the STC website.

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Page 1 Sea Turtle Conservancy - Educator's Guide

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AAAAAbout tbout tbout tbout tbout theheheheheSea TSea TSea TSea TSea Turururururtle Consertle Consertle Consertle Consertle Conservvvvvancyancyancyancyancy

STC's mission is to

protect endangered sea turtles

and their habitats through

research, education, advocacy

and protection of natural areas.

The Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC) is anot-for-profit, 501(c)3 organization based inFlorida with offices and projects in severalother locations. Originally founded as theCaribbean Conservation Corporation, STC isthe oldest and most accomplished seaturtle organization in the world! Since itsfounding in 1959, STC’s work has greatlyimproved the survivaloutlook for severalspecies of sea turtles.STC is a world-renowned leader insea turtle researchand conservation.

STC, founded byDr. Archie Carr andothers, has as itsmission the protection of sea turtles and thehabitats upon which they depend. To achieveits mission, STC uses research, habitat pro-tection, public education, community out-reach, networking and advocacy as its basictools. These tools are applied in both interna-tional and domesticprograms focusing on geographic areas thatare globally important to sea turtle survival.

Why Sea Turtles: STC has chosen sea turtles as the focus

of its conservation efforts in part becausethese ancient creatures are among the mostimportant indicators of the health of theworld’s marine and coastal ecosystems. STCbelieves that whether sea turtles ultimatelyvanish from the planet or whether they

remain a wild and thriving part of the naturalworld, will speak volumes about both thegeneral health of the planet and the ability ofhumans to sustainably coexist with the diver-sity of life on Earth.

Geographic Focus: STC ’s geographic focus is the Wider

Caribbean and Atlantic because of theregion’s uniqueimportance to theworld’s remainingsea turtle popula-tions. The coloniesof green turtles,loggerheads, hawks-bills and leatherbacksthat nest atTortuguero in Costa

Rica, Chiriquí Beach in Panama, and inFlorida are among the largest remaining in theWestern Hemisphere. In response, STCweights its efforts toward these critical nest-ing beaches. The highly migratory nature ofsea turtles dictates that STC include thewhole Caribbean basin within its geographicscope. Therefore, programs have been initi-ated in Bermuda, the Bahamas and in theeastern Caribbean because of the importantroles these areas play in the life cycle of seaturtles. STC ’s major programs includeResearch and Conservation in Tortuguero,Costa Rica and Chiriqí Beach, Panama;International Policy; U.S. Policy; Education& Outreach; and the Bermuda TurtleProject.

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Sea TSea TSea TSea TSea Turururururtlestlestlestlestles:

A BrA BrA BrA BrA Brief Ovief Ovief Ovief Ovief Overerererervievievievieviewwwwwea turtles are large, air-breathing reptiles thatinhabit tropical and

subtropical seas throughout theworld. Their streamlined bodiesand large flippers make themremarkably adapted to life atsea. However, sea turtlesmaintain close ties to land.Females must come ashore to laytheir eggs in the sand; therefore,all sea turtles begin their lives astiny hatchlings on land.

Research on marine turtleshas uncovered many facts aboutthese ancient creatures. Most ofthis research has been fo-cusedon nesting females andhatchlings emerging from thenest, largely because they arethe easiest to find and study.Thousands of sea turtles aroundthe world have been tagged tohelp collect information abouttheir growth rates, reproductivecycles and migration routes.After decades of studying seaturtles, much has been learned.However, many mysteries stillremain. New technologies, suchas satellite telemetry, are allow-ing scientists to monitor turtlesthroughout their range. Theinformation gathered throughsatellite-tracking should answermany questions and help conser-vation groups like the Sea TurtleConservancy to develop betterstrategies for protecting seaturtles.

cies. They donot have teeth, but

their jaws have modi-fied "beaks" suited totheir particular diet.They do not have visibleears but have eardrumscovered by skin. They

hear best at low frequencies, andtheir sense of smell is excellent.Their vision underwater is good,but they are nearsighted out ofwater.

Reproduction Only females come ashore tonest; males rarely return to landafter crawling into the sea ashatchlings. Most females returnto nest on the beach where theywere born (natal beach). Nest-ing seasons occur at differenttimes around the world. In theU.S., nesting occurs from Aprilthrough October. Most femalesnest at least twice during eachmating season; some may nestup to ten times in a season. Afemale will not nest in consecu-tive years, typically skipping oneor two years before returning.

Turtles andHumans

Sea turtleshave longfascinatedpeople andhave figuredprominentlyin the my-thology andfolklore ofmany cultures. In theMiskito Caysoff the eastern coastof Nicaragua, the story of akind “Turtle Mother,” stilllingers. Unfortunately, thespiritual significance of seaturtles has not saved them frombeing exploited for both foodand for profit. Millions of seaturtles once roamed the earth’soceans, but now only a fractionremain.

General DescriptionEach species of sea turtle

looks and behaves distinctly, butthey do have several commoncharacteristics. Their shellsconsist of an upper part (cara-pace) and a lower section (plas-tron). Hard scales (or scutes)cover all but the leatherbackturtle, and the number andarrangement of these scutes canbe used to determine the spe-

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Growth & DevelopmentResearchers do not yet know

how long baby turtles spend inthe open sea, or exactly wherethey go. It is theorized that theyspend their earliest, mostvulnerable years floating aroundthe sea in giant beds of sargassoweeds, where they do little morethan eat and grow. Once turtlesreach dinner-plate size, theyappear at feeding grounds innearshore waters. They growslowly and take between 15 and50 years to reach reproductivematurity, depending on thespecies. There is no way todetermine the age of a sea turtlefrom its physical appearance. Itis theorized that some speciescan live more than 100 years.

Status of the SpeciesThe earliest known sea turtle

fossils are about 150 millionyears old. In groups too numer-ous to count, they once navi-gated throughout the world'soceans. But in just the past 100years, demand for turtle meat,eggs, skin and colorful shells hasreduced their numbers. De-struction of feeding and nestinghabitats and pollution of theworld’s oceans are all taking aserious toll on remaining seaturtle populations. Manybreeding populations havealready become extinct, andentire species are being wipedout. There could be a time inthe near future when sea turtlesare just an oddity found only inaquariums and natural historymuseums — unless action istaken today.

How You Can HelpThere are many things each

of us can do to help sea turtlessurvive. First, we must remem-ber that we share the oceansand the beaches with manyother species. Second, becomeinformed about the things thatare killing sea turtles or destroy-ing their habitat. Electedofficials and other leaders aremaking decision on issues that

What is Extinction and Why ShouldYou Care If Sea Turtles Go Extinct?A plant or animal becomes extinct when the last living indi-

vidual of its species dies, causing it to vanish from the earth forever.If there is ever a time when the last green turtle on earth dies, thennever again will this magnificent creature grace our world.

Species have been going extinct for millions of years; it is anatural part of the evolutionary process. For example, most of thespecies that existed during the time of dinosaurs have perished.Many probably went extinct because of sudden geological orclimatic changes -- possibly because of a large volcanic eruption orbecause of a giant meteor hitting the earth.

Today, however, species are going extinct because of abruptchanges brought about by humans. Habitat destruction, pollutionand overconsumption are causing species to decline at a rate neverbefore seen in history. This loss of species is eroding the diversity oflife on earth, and a loss of diversity can make all life vulnerable.

Much can be learned about the condition of the planet'senvironment by looking at sea turtles. They have existed for over100 million years, and they travel throughout the world's oceans.Suddenly, however, they are struggling to survive -- largely because ofthings people are doing to the planet's oceans and beaches. Butwhat does this mean for the human species?

It is possible that a world in which sea turtles cannot survivemay soon become a world in which humans struggle to survive. If,however, we learn from our mistakes and begin changing ourbehavior, there is still time to save sea turtles from extinction. In theprocess, we will be saving one of the earth's most mysterious andtime-honored creatures. We might just be saving ourselves too.

affect sea turtles almost everyday. As an informed citizen, youhave the power to influence theoutcome of these issues bymaking your voice heard. Third,take personal responsibility foryour actions. By simply reducingthe amount of plastic garbage,using biodegradable chemicalsand not leaving trash on thebeach when you leave, you canhelp save sea turtles and protectFlorida's coastal habitats.

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Sea TSea TSea TSea TSea Turururururtlestlestlestlestles:

DifDifDifDifDifffffferererererences Beences Beences Beences Beences Betwtwtwtwtween teen teen teen teen the Specieshe Specieshe Specieshe Specieshe SpeciesSea Turtle Names

Each sea turtle has both ascientific name and a commonname. The scientific nameidentifies the genus and species,and the common name typicallydescribes some characteristic ofthe turtle's body. The logger-head, for example, gets its namefrom its exceptionally largehead. The hawksbill turtle getsits name because its narrowhead and large beak make itlook like a hawk. The Austra-lian flatback gets its namebecause its shell is very flat. Theleatherback is the only sea turtlewithout a hard shell. It isnamed leatherback because itsshell is made of a layer of thin,tough, rubbery skin that lookslike leather.

Other turtles are named forcolors on their bodies. The shellof the olive ridley is olive green.The green turtle is a little bittrickier. You might think theshell of a green turtle would begreen, but it’s not. It can have ablack, gray, or brown shell. Thegreen turtle is actually namedfor the green color of its fat.

Last but not least is theKemp’s ridley. This turtle’s firstname, “Kemp’s,” was given to itbecause a man named RichardKemp helped discover and studythe turtle. The second part ofits name is a mystery. No one issure why it is called “ridley.”Some think turtle researcher

Dr. Archie Carr was the onewho named it “ridley.” Thename “ridley” might be short forthe word “riddle” or “riddler.”The ridley would have gottenthat name because it was like ariddle to researchers. It washard for them to figure outwhere the turtle came from andwhat its breeding habits were.

AppearanceSea turtles come in many

different sizes, shapes and colors.The olive ridley is usually lessthan 100 pounds, while theleatherback typically rangesfrom 650 to 1,300 pounds! Theupper shell, or carapace, of eachsea turtle species ranges inlength, color, shape and arrange-ment of scales.

What They EatDifferent species of sea

turtles like to eat different kindsof food. Sea turtles havemouths and jaws that arespecially formed to help themeat the foods they like.

The hawksbill has a narrowhead and jaws shaped like abeak. This allows the hawksbillto get food from crevices incoral reefs. They eat sponges,anemones, squid and shrimp.

Loggerheads are primarilycarnivorous and feed mostly onshellfish that live on the bottomof the ocean. They eat horse-shoe crabs, clams, mussels, and

other invertebrates. Theirpowerful jaw muscles help themeasily crush the shellfish.

Kemp’s ridleys and oliveridleys are also carnivorous.Like loggerheads, the ridleyshave powerful jaws that helpthem crush and grind crabs,clams, mussels, and shrimp.They also like to eat fish, seaurchins, squid and jellyfish.

Unlike loggerheads, Kemp’sridleys, and olive ridleys, leather-backs have delicate, scissor-likejaws. Their jaws would bedamaged by anything other thana diet of soft-bodied animals.Leatherbacks feed almostexclusively on jellyfish.

The diets of green turtleschange significantly during theirlives. Young green and blackturtles eat a variety of food.Their diets may include worms,young crustaceans and insects, aswell as grasses and algae.

When green turtles reach 8to 10 inches in length, theirdiets change. Adult green andblack turtles are the only seaturtles that are strictly herbivo-rous. They mostly eat sea grassand algae. Their jaws are finelyserrated which aids them intearing vegetation. The Austra-lian flatback apparently eats seacucumbers, jellyfish, mollusks,prawns, bryozoans, and otherinvertebrates, as well as seaweed.

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Adult Human Kemp's ridley Hawksbill Loggerhead Green Turtle Leatherback

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Sea Turtles Found in U.S. Waters -- A Size Comparison

Habitat PreferencesEach species of sea turtle

eats, sleeps, mates and swims indistinctly different areas. Some-times their habitats overlap, butfor the most part they each havedifferent preferences.

Loggerheads can be foundin temperate and subtropicalwaters throughout most of theworld. Adults usually stay closeto mainland shores. Theyprefer to feed in coastal bays andestuaries, as well as in theshallow water along the conti-nental shelves of the Atlantic,Pacific and Indian Oceans.Loggerheads inhabit an enor-mous range from north tosouth. In the western hemi-sphere they are found as farnorth as Newfoundland and asfar south as Argentina.

Green turtles are found inall temperate and tropicalwaters, including those nearCentral America, the Bahamas,and the U.S. They mainly staynear the coastline and around

islands. They arealso found along thewest coasts of North,Central and SouthAmerica, from central BajaCalifornia to Peru. Theymostly live in bays and protectedshores. Rarely are they ob-served in the open ocean.

Hawksbills are consideredthe most tropical of all seaturtles. They are typically foundaround coastal reefs, rocky areas,estuaries and lagoons of thetropical and subtropical Atlantic,Pacific and Indian Oceans.

The range of the adultKemp’s ridley is mostly limitedto the Gulf of Mexico. Juvenilesrange between tropical andtemperate coastal areas of thenorthwest Atlantic Ocean andcan be found up and down theeast coast of the United States.They prefer shallow areas withsandy and muddy bottoms.

Olive ridleys live in tropicalregions of the Pacific, Indianand Atlantic Oceans. Theytypically forage off shore in

surface waters ordive to depths of500 feet (150 m)

to feed on bottom dwellingcrustaceans.

Flatbacks have the mostrestricted range of all sea turtlespecies. Their range is limitedto the coastal waters of thenorthwestern, northern andnortheastern regions of Austra-lia. Flatbacks do not venturebeyond Australia’s continentalshelf; they prefer turbid inshorewaters and bays.

Leatherbacks are the mostwidely distributed of all seaturtles. They are primarilyfound in the open ocean, as farnorth as Alaska and as far southas the southern tip of Africa.Leatherbacks are known to beactive in water below 40 degreesFahrenheit, the only reptileknown to remain active at sucha low temperature.

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Sea TSea TSea TSea TSea Turururururtlestlestlestlestles:

The SeThe SeThe SeThe SeThe Sevvvvven Species of Sea Ten Species of Sea Ten Species of Sea Ten Species of Sea Ten Species of Sea TurururururtlestlestlestlestlesLoggerheads lay eggs at

intervals of 2, 3, or more years.Nesting season runs from Maythrough September in the U.S.

They lay 4 to 7 nests per season,approximately 14 days apart.The average number of eggs ineach clutch ranges from 100 to126, and the eggs incubate forabout 60 days. Loggerheadnesting is concentrated in twomain areas of the world -- atMasirah Island, Oman, in themiddle east and on the coast ofthe southeastern UnitedStates. The MasirahIsland's annual nestingpopulation is about30,000 females, while upto 25,000 loggerheadsnest in the southeast U.S.each year. The majorityof nesting in the south-east U.S. takes place onFlorida's Atlantic coastbetween the inlet at CapeCanaveral and SebastianInlet, especially withinthe Archie Carr National

Wildlife Refuge.

Green turtle(Chelonia mydas)

Green turtles are an endan-gered species around the world,but they still nest in significantnumbers on the east coast ofFlorida. They are easily distin-guished from other sea turtlesbecause they have a single pairof scales in front of their eyesrather than two pairs as othersea turtles have. The greenturtle is the largest of theCheloniidae family. Femalegreen turtles that nest in Floridaaverage more than three feet incarapace length, and averageabout 300 pounds in weight.The largest green turtle everfound was 5 feet in length and871 pounds.

Green turtles nest at inter-vals of 2, 3, or more years.They lay an average of 3 to 5egg clutches, with about 12 days

ost scientists recognizeseven living species ofsea turtles, which are

grouped into six genera.

Loggerhead(Caretta caretta)

Of all the seaturtles that nest inthe United States,the loggerhead isthe one seen mostoften. While allother species foundnear the U.S.coastline are listedas endangered, theloggerhead is classified asthreatened. This means logger-heads are more numerous thanthe other species, but they arestill in danger of extinction.

Adult loggerheads weigh upto 350 pounds and have areddish-brown carapace (uppershell) and a dull brown to yellowplastron (lower shell). Fullygrown, a loggerhead's carapaceis typically 32 to 41 inches long(82-105cm).

M

Adult loggerhead sea turtle

Adult green sea turtleLoggerhead hatchling

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Sea Turtle Conservancy - Educator's Guide Page 8

between each nesting. Thereare an average of 115 eggs perclutch and they incubate forabout 60 days. Nesting seasonruns from June through Octo-ber in the U.S. The largestnesting site in the westernhemisphere is at Tortuguero,Costa Rica.

Leatherback(Dermochelys coriacea)

Leatherbacks are alsoendangered, but a few nest onthe east coast of Florida eachyear. The leatherback is thechampion of sea turtles. Thisspecies grows the largest, divesthe deepest, and travels thefarthest of all sea turtles. Ma-ture leatherbacks typically reachabout 4 to 8 feet in length andweigh from 650 to 1,300pounds. The largest leatherbackever recorded was almost 10 feet

(3 m) from the tip ofits beak to the tip of itstail and weighed in at2,019 pounds (916 kg).The leatherback is theonly sea turtle thatlacks a hard shell. It isnamed for its large,elongated shell whichis composed of a layerof thin, tough, rubberyskin, strengthened by thousandsof tiny bone plates. Sevennarrow ridges run down thelength of the carapace, which istypically black with many whitespots. The lower shell is whitishto black and marked by 5 ridges.The body of a leatherback isbarrel shaped, tapering at therear to a blunt point. With thisstreamlined body shape and thepowerful front flippers,a leatherback can swimthousands of miles overopen ocean and againstfast currents.

Leatherbacks feedalmost exclusively onjellyfish. It is remarkablethat this large,active animal cansurvive on a diet ofjellyfish, which arecomposed mostly of water andappear to be a poor source ofnutrients. Young leatherbacksin captivity can eat twice theirweight in jellyfish each day.

Leatherbacks approachcoastal waters only duringbreeding season. Nesting occursthroughout the Caribbean, onthe northern coast of SouthAmerica, the Pacific coast ofCentral America, and on theeast coast of Florida. Nesting

season runs from Marchthrough July. Leatherbacks nestevery 2 to 3 years, laying 6 to 9egg clutches in a nesting season.Each clutch contains approxi-mately 80 fertilized eggs the sizeof billiard balls and 30 smaller,unfertilized eggs. There is anaverage of 10 days betweennestings. The eggs incubate forapproximately 65 days.

Hawksbill(Eretmochelys imbricata)

Hawksbills are endangeredin large part because people killthem to get their beautifulshells, which are used to makejewelry and other products.Although they are found in U.S.waters, they rarely nest in NorthAmerica.

The hawksbill is one of thesmaller sea turtles, measuring 30

Leatherback hatchling

Adult leatherback sea turtle

Adult hawksbill sea turtle

Green sea turtle hatchling

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Page 9 Sea Turtle Conservancy - Educator's Guide

to 36 inches in carapace length(76-91 cm) and weighing 100 to150 pounds (40-60 kg).

Hawksbill turtles nest atintervals of 2, 3, or more years.An average of 2 to 4 eggclutches are laid approximately15 days apart during nestingseason. An average of 160 eggsper clutch are laid and theyincubate for approximately 60days. Although they nest onbeaches throughout the Carib-bean, they are no longer foundanywhere in large numbers.

Kemp’s ridley(Lepidochelys kempii)

Kemp’s ridleys are the mostendangered of all sea turtles;they are also the smallest.Adults measure about 24 inches(62 cm) in carapace length andweigh between 77 and 100pounds (35-45 kg). The carapaceof adults is olive green and theplastron is yellowish.

Unlike other sea turtles,Kemp’s ridleys nest annually.They lay about 2 clutches duringeach season, about 25 daysapart. Each nest containsaround 105 eggs, which incubate55 days. The only major breed-ing site of the Kemp’s ridley is

Adult Kemp's ridley sea turtle

on a small strip of beach atRancho Nuevo, Mexico.Kemp’s ridleys nest in masssynchronized nestings calledarribadas (Spanish for “ar-rival”).

The arribada of Kemp'sridleys occurs at regularintervals between April andJune. In 1942, a Mexicanarchitect filmed an estimated42,000 ridleys nesting at RanchoNuevo in one day. During1995, only 1,429 ridley nestswere laid at Rancho Nuevo.

Olive ridley(Lepidochelys olivacea)

One of the most com-mon of all sea turtlesfound worldwide; theirnumbers are in declinefrom the direct harvest ofadults and eggs, inciden-tal capture in commercialfisheries and loss ofnesting habitat.

Adults measure around 30inches (70 cm) in carapacelength and weigh close to 100pounds (45 kg). The carapace ofadults is bony without ridges, haslarge scutes, and is grey greenand the plastron is yellowish.

Similar to the Kemp’s ridley,the olive ridley nests annuallyand in arribadas. They lay about2 clutches during each season,about 25 days apart.Each nest containsaround 110 eggs,which incubatefrom 52 to 58 days.

Australian flatback(Natator depressus)

The Australian flatback isvery limited in its range beingfound only in the waters aroundAustralia and Papua NewGuinea in the Pacific. Adults upto just over 36 inches (99 cm) incarapace length and weigh anaverage of 200 pounds (90 kg).The carapace of adults is bonywithout ridges, has large, non-overlapping scutes, and is olive-grey with pale brown and yellowtones on margins.

Adult females will nests 4times per season, with anaverage of 50 eggs per nest. Theeggs are quite large for theirbody size and incubate for about55 days.

They are threatened withcapture, harvesting of eggs,destruction of nesting beaches,ocean pollution, oil spills, andentanglement in fishing nets.

Adult olive ridley sea turtle

Adult flatback sea turtle

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Sea TSea TSea TSea TSea Turururururtlestlestlestlestles:

ScientifScientifScientifScientifScientif ic Classific Classific Classific Classific Classif icationicationicationicationication

The chart below shows the scientific classification of the sea turtles that still exist today.

KINGDOM ...................................................................................................... Animalia

PHYLUM.......................................................................................................... Chordata

CLASS .............................................................................................................. Reptilia

Class Reptilia includes snakes, lizards, crocodiles, and turtles. Reptiles areectothermic (cold-blooded) and are vertebrates (have a spine). All reptiles havescaly skin, breath air with lungs, and have a three-chambered heart. Most reptileslay eggs.

ORDER ............................................................................................................ Testudines

Order Testudines includes all turtles and tortoises. It is divided into threesuborders. Pleurodira includes side-necked turtles, Cryptodira includes all otherliving species of turtles and tortoises, and Amphichelydia includes all extinctspecies.

SUBORDER .................................................................................................... Cryptodira

Suborder Cryptodira includes freshwater turtles, snapping turtles, tortoises, soft-shelled turtles, and sea turtles.

FAMILY ............................................................................................................ Cheloniidae orDermochelyidae

Sea turtles fall into one of two families. Family Cheloniidae includes sea turtleswhich have shells covered with scutes (horny plates). Family Dermochelyidaeincludes only one modern species of sea turtle, the leatherback turtle. Rather thana shell covered with scutes, leatherbacks have leathery skin.

GENUS and SPECIES

Most scientists currently recognize seven living species of sea turtles grouped into six genera.The black sea turtle is considered by some to be an eigth species.

Caretta Chelonia Eretmochelys Lepidochelys Natator Dermochelys caretta mydas imbricata kempii depressus coriacealoggerhead green turtle hawksbill Kemp's ridley Australian flatback leatherback

& &

mydas agassizi olivaceablack turtle olive ridley

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Sea TSea TSea TSea TSea Turururururtlestlestlestlestles:

BehaBehaBehaBehaBehavior Pvior Pvior Pvior Pvior Pattattattattattererererernsnsnsnsnsea turtles are generallysolitary creatures thatremain submerged for

much of the time they are atsea, which makes them ex-tremely difficult to study. Theyrarely interact with one anotheroutside of courtship and mating.Ridleys, however, do cometogether in massive groupsduring their arribadas. But evenwhen large numbers of turtlesgather on feeding grounds orduring migration, there is littlebehavioral exchange amongindividuals. Because of thedifficulty in studying marineturtles in the open ocean, thereare a great many things stillunknown about their behavior.Decades of research, however,including observations at sea,have produced useful insightsinto daily activities and behav-iors such as courtship, matingand nesting.

Daily ActivitiesSea turtles are known to feed

and rest off and on during atypical day. During the nestingseason, research conducted inthe southeast United States hasshown that loggerheads followregular patterns between thenesting beach and offshore reefsand other rocky structures. It ispresumed that mating and/orfeeding occur at these offshoreareas. Sea turtles may migratehundreds or even thousands of

miles during their migations.Sea turtles can sleep at the

surface while in deep water oron the bottom wedged underrocks in nearshore waters.Many divers have seen greenturtles sleeping under ledges inreefs and rocks. Hatchlingstypically sleep floating on thesurface, and they usually havetheir front flippers folded backover the top of their backs.

Courtship & Mating

Courtship and mating formost sea turtles is believed tooccur during a limited “recep-tive” period prior to the female'sfirst nesting emergence. After-wards, only females come ashoreto nest; males almost neverreturn to land once they leavethe sand of their natal beach.During mating season, malesmay court a female by nuzzlingher head or by gently biting theback of her neck and rearflippers. If the female does notflee, the male attaches himself

to the back of the female's shellby gripping her top shell withclaws in his front flippers. Hethen folds his long tail underher shell to copulate. Femalesobserved on the nesting beachafter recently mating often havescratched shells and may bebleeding from where the maleswere hooked to their shells.

Copulation can take placeeither on the surface or underwater. Sometimes several maleswill compete for females and

may even fight each other.Observers of sea turtle matinghave reported very aggressivebehavior by both the males andfemales.

Females may mate withseveral males just prior tonesting season and store thesperm for several months.When she finally lays her eggs,they will have been fertilized bya variety of males. This behaviormay help keep genetic diversityhigh in the population.

S

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Nesting, Incubationand Emergence

Very little is known aboutwhy sea turtles nest on somebeaches and not on others. InFlorida, loggerheads nest by thethousands on the central eastcoast, while identical lookingbeaches to the north see farfewer loggerheads. This nestingdistribution may reflect condi-tions that existed centuries ago,when temperature, beachprofiles or the lack of predationmade some areas preferable tosea turtles.

Today, humans are affectingthe places where sea turtles nest.Beach erosion caused by coastalarmoring and navigationalinlets, artificial lighting andbeach renourishment are allimpacting once pristine beaches.These changes will likely havelasting effects on future nestingpatterns. The more we under-stand about how, where and

when sea turtles nest, the betterwe will be able to protect theirnesting habitat.

Beach Selection

Most females return faith-fully to the same beach eachtime they are ready to nest. Notonly do they appear on the samebeach, they often emerge withina few hundred yards of wherethey last nested.

Nesting Behavior

Only the females nest, and itoccurs most often at night. Thefemale crawls out of the ocean,pausing frequently as if carefullyscoping out her spot. Sometimesshe will crawl out of the ocean,but for unknown reasons decidenot to nest. This is a "falsecrawl," and it can happennaturally or be caused by artifi-cial lighting or the presence ofpeople on the beach.

Most females nest at leasttwice during the nesting season,although individuals of some

Step 1: Crawling to a suitable nesting site Step 2: Digging the body pit

species may nest only once andothers more than ten times. Seaturtles are generally slow andawkward on land, and nesting isexhausting work.

Constructing the Nest

The female turtle crawls to adry part of the beach and beginsto flings away loose sand withher flippers. She then constructsa "body pit" by digging with herflippers and rotating her body.After completing the body pit,she digs an egg cavity using hercupped rear flippers as shovels.The egg cavity is shaped roughlylike a tear drop and is usuallytilted slightly.

Laying and Burying the Eggs

When the turtle has finisheddigging the egg chamber, shebegins to lay eggs. Two or threeeggs drop out at a time, withmucus being secreted through-out egg-laying. The average sizeof a clutch ranges from about 80to 120 eggs, depending on the

Step 3: Digging the egg chamber

Eggs incubating in the nest. Hatchlings begin breaking out of shells. Hatchlings work their way to top of nest.

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Step 4: Laying the eggs Step 5: Burying and disguising the nest

Hatchlings erupt and head for water. Many animals eat hatchlings in the ocean. Hatchlings eat and drift in sargasso weed.

Page 13 Sea Turtle Conservancy - Educator's Guide

species. Because the eggs areflexible, they do not break asthey fall into the chamber. Thisflexibility also allows both thefemale and the nest to holdmore eggs.

Nesting sea turtles appear toshed tears, but the turtle is justsecreting salt that accumulatesin her body.

Many people believe thatwhile laying her eggs a seaturtles goes into a trance fromwhich she cannot be disturbed.This is not entirely true. A seaturtle is least likely to abandonnesting when she is laying hereggs, but some turtles will abortthe process if they are harassedor feel they are in danger. Forthis reason, it is important thatsea turtles are never disturbedduring nesting.

Once all the eggs are in thechamber, the mother turtle usesher rear flippers to push sandover the top of the egg cavity.Gradually, she packs the sanddown over the top. She thenbegins using her front flippers

to refill the body pit and disguisethe nest. By throwing sand inall directions, it is much harderfor predators to find the eggs.After the nest is thoroughlyconcealed, the female crawlsback to the sea to rest beforenesting again later that seasonor before beginning her migra-tion back to her feeding ground.Once a female has left her nest,she never returns to tend it.

Incubation

Incubation takes about 60days, but since the temperatureof the sand governs the speed atwhich the embryos develop, thehatching period can cover abroad range. Essentially, thehotter the sand surrounding thenest, the faster the embryos willdevelop. Cooler sand has atendency to produce moremales, with warmer sand pro-ducing a higher ratio of females.

Emerging from the Nest

Unlike baby alligators, whichare liberated from their nest by

their mother, sea turtlehatchlings must do it all them-selves. To break open theirshells, hatchlings use a sharp,temporary egg-tooth, called a"caruncle." The caruncle is anextension of the upper jaw thatfalls off soon after birth.

Digging out of the nest is agroup effort that can takeseveral days. Hatchlings usuallyemerge from their nest at nightor during a rainstorm whentemperatures are cooler. Oncethey decide to burst out, theyerupt from the nest cavity as agroup. The little turtles orientthemselves to the brightesthorizon, and then dash towardthe sea. If they don't make it tothe ocean quickly, manyhatchlings will die of dehydra-tion in the sun or be caught bypredators like birds and crabs.

Once in the water, theytypically swim several miles offshore, where they are caught incurrents and seaweed that maycarry them for years beforereturning to nearshore waters.

There are many obstacles forhatchlings in the open ocean.Sharks, big fish and circlingbirds all eat baby turtles, andthey die after accidentally eatingtar balls and plastic garbage.The obstacles are so numerousfor baby turtles that only aboutone in 1,000 survives to adult-hood.

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Sea TSea TSea TSea TSea Turururururtlestlestlestlestles:

MigMigMigMigMigrrrrration and Nation and Nation and Nation and Nation and Naaaaavigvigvigvigvigation Aation Aation Aation Aation AbilitiesbilitiesbilitiesbilitiesbilitiesMigration

The ability of a sea turtle tomigrate hundreds (and occasion-ally thousands) of miles from itsfeeding ground to its nestingbeach is one of the most re-markable acts in the animalkingdom. That adult femalesreturn faithfully to nest on thevery beach where they wereborn makes the feat even moreamazing.

Research into where andhow sea turtles migrate has beena focus of scientists for decades.The information collected isvital to the development ofconservation strategies for thespecies.

We now know that seaturtles undergo migrationthroughout their lives, begin-

ning with the first frenzied swimas a hatchling. During its firstcritical 48 hours, a hatchlingmust travel from the beach to aplace in the ocean where it isrelatively safe from predatorsand where it can find food.Many hatchlings in the Atlanticand Caribbean make their wayinto Gulfstream currents, whichare filled with floating sargas-sum weed. There the youngturtles find an ample foodsupply and few predators. Afterseveral years of floating aroundthe Atlantic, these young turtlesare big enough to venture backinto nearshore waters.

Sea turtles typically spendtheir juvenile years eating andgrowing in nearshore habitats.Once they reach adulthood andsexual maturity, it is believed

The Sea Turtle Conservancy has been tagging green turtles that nest at Tortuguero,Costa Rica, for over three decades. Tag recoveries from different parts of the Caribbeanshow some of the places where these turtles migrate after nesting.

that they migrate to a newfeeding ground. It is in thisprimary feeding area whereadult turtles probably remainthroughout their lives, exceptduring breeding season. Whenit is their time to mate and nest,both males and females leavetheir feeding grounds andmigrate to the nesting beach.This periodic migration willcontinue throughout their lives.

NavigationIn the open ocean, sea turtles

encounter strong currents; theyhave only modest vision; theycan only raise their heads severalinches out of the water; andthere are often no visible landmarks. Even with these limita-tions, sea turtles regularlynavigate long distances to findthe same tiny stretch of nestingbeach. How they do it is one ofthe greatest mysteries in theanimal kingdom, and finding ananswer has been the focus ofgenerations of researchers.

One promising new theoryon how sea turtles navigatesuggests that they can detectboth the angle and intensity ofthe Earth's magnetic field.Using these two characteristics, asea turtle may be able to deter-mine its latitude and longitude,enabling it to navigate virtuallyanywhere. Early experimentsseem to prove that sea turtleshave the ability to detect mag-

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One of the first groups to start tagging sea turtles was the Caribbean ConservationCorporation, under the leadership of Dr. Archie Carr. CCC began tagging green turtleson the nesting beach at Tortuguero, Costa Rica, in the early 1950s, and this importantresearch continues to this day.

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netic fields. Whether theyactually use this ability to navi-gate is the next theory beinginvestigated.

Studying MigrationThe migratory nature of sea

turtles creates a number ofchallenges for those working tofully understand and protectthese creatures. In particular, toadequately protect sea turtles inall their habitats, we must knowwhere these habitats are, howthe turtles behave while there,and what routes the turtles taketo migrate between them.

Most sea turtle research hasbeen carried out on nestingbeaches — and for very logicalreasons. These areas are easierfor researchers to access, andwhat occurs on the nestingbeach (production of new seaturtles) is extremely importantto the species’ survival. Conser-vation efforts are also mosteasily directed at nestingbeaches.

However, of all the placeswhere sea turtles travel through-out their life cycle, the leastamount of time is spent on thenesting beach. More than 90%of a sea turtle's life is spent in

the water — feeding, mating,migrating and doing whateverelse a sea turtle does when noone is watching. Consequently,the threats faced by sea turtles inthe ocean present the greatestchallenges to conservationists.

To fully protect sea turtlesthroughout their range, moremust be known about theirmigratory patterns and theirbehavior in the water.

Several methods are used byresearchers to determine wheresea turtles move. One of thesimplest methods involvesplacing a small, harmless metaltag on one of the turtle’s flip-pers when she comes ashore tonest. Each tag includes a codednumber and a message askingpeople to return the tag to acertain address if it is found.When people return a tag, theyget a small reward and areasked where the turtle wasencountered. In thisway, researchersgradually learnabout themanyplaces towhichturtlesmigrate.

In the case of turtles nestingat Tortuguero, Costa Rica, tagreturns make it clear that turtlesnesting there disperse to feedingareas throughout the Carib-bean. A large portion of themgo to the Miskito Coast ofNicaragua. Efforts are nowfocused on limiting the numberof turtles killed there for food.

The use of flipper tags hasprovided vital information, butit still leaves many questionsunanswered.

Satellite TelemetrySince most research con-

ducted on marine turtles hasbeen carried out on nestingbeaches and well over 90% of asea turtle's life is spent in thewater, we are missing importantinformation that can help usbetter protect sea turtles.

This is where the technologyof satellite telemetry becomesuseful and important in protect-ing sea turtles. Researchers beenutilizing satellite telemetry(following an object on theearth with the use of orbitingsatellites) to track these highlymigratory marine animals in theopen ocean for over a decade.

Satellite telemetry involvesthe attachment of a

Platform TerminalTransmitter (PTT) to

the back of a sea

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turtle. The attachment processinvolves placing a small trans-mitter to the back of an adult orjuvenile sea turtle. For all thesea turtle species, except theleatherback, the transmitter isattached directly to the turtle’scarapace, behind the head,where the unit’s small flexibleantenna can break the surfaceto transmit a signal full ofinformation to orbitingsatelllites when the turtle is atthe surface of the ocean tobreathe.

The satellites are operated bythe U.S. National Oceanic andAtmospheric Organization(NOAA) and are the samesatellites used to monitor globalweather patterns. Attached tothese satellites are special instru-ments operated by a companycalled ARGOS. These specialinstruments are designed to

listen for transmitters like thoseplaced on turtles and to deter-mine where those transmittersare located.

While such a task would seemsimple, it is not. Each satellitecircles the earth every 101minutes, so it is only over anyone place on the planet forabout 10 minutes. At the equa-tor, this means that the satellitesmake about 6-8 passes per dayfor 10 minutes each. For thesatellite to determine thelocation of the transmitter, itmust be on at the surface longenough to be detected; about 3to 5 minutes.

The satellite re-transmits thedata to a receiving station onearth, which researchers canaccess through a computer.Generally, after about a year thetransmitters quit working andfall safely off the turtle.

The data re-ceived from theturtle's transmittercomes in the form ofdigital codes, whichmust be deciphered.The codes allowresearchers to deter-mine, with varyingdegrees of reliability,the latitude andlongitude location ofthe turtle, the numberof dives taken duringthe last 24 hours, theduration of the mostrecent dive, and thewater temperature.

Using computermapping programs,researchers can thensee where the turtles

migrate, what routes they traveland how fast they generallyswim. If the map a researcher isusing has enough detail, it is alsopossible to determine thehabitat characteristics at theturtle’s location.

While viewing the migrationmaps shown on STC's website,viewers should be aware that theplotted turtle movementsrepresent the best data available;however, any given plot markmay not be 100% accurate. Thislimitation really doesn't detractfrom the overall value of theresearch. After monitoring anumber of turtles in a specificpopulation, researchers learnwhere that population's majorfeeding grounds are located andwhat threats they may be facingat sea. This information allowsconservationists to focus effortson the most important areas.

Diagram of how data is received, via global orbiting satellites, by researchers from a transmitterattached to a sea turtle.

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Sea TSea TSea TSea TSea Turururururtlestlestlestlestles:

ThrThrThrThrThreats teats teats teats teats to to to to to their Surheir Surheir Surheir Surheir Survivvivvivvivvivalalalalalach year thousands ofhatchling turtlesemerge from their

nests along the southeasterncoast of the United States andenter the Atlantic ocean. Sadly,only an estimated one in 1,000to 10,000 will survive to adult-hood. The natural obstaclesfaced by young and adult seaturtles are staggering, but it isthe increasing threats caused byhumans that are driving themto extinction. Today, all seaturtles found in U.S. waters arefederally listed as endangered,except for the loggerhead, whichis listed as threatened.

Natural ThreatsIn nature, sea turtles face a

host of life and death obstaclesto their survival. Predators suchas raccoons, crabs and ants raideggs and hatchlings still in thenest. Once they emerge,hatchlings make bite-sized mealsfor birds, crabs and a host of

predators in the ocean. Afterreaching adulthood, sea turtlesare relatively immune to preda-tion, except for the occasionalshark attack. These naturalthreats, however, are not thereasons sea turtle populationshave plummeted toward extinc-tion. To understand what reallythreatens sea turtle survival, wemust look at the actions ofhumans.

Human-Caused ThreatsIn many cultures around the

world, people still harvest seaturtle eggs for food. Mostcountries forbid the taking ofeggs, but enforcement is lax.Poaching is rampant, and theeggs can often be found for salein local markets. In these sameareas, adult sea turtles areharvested for their meat. Turtleproducts, such as jewelry madefrom hawksbill shells, also createa direct threat to sea turtles.Lack of information about sea

turtles leads many Americansto unwittingly support theinternational trade in theseendangered species. Buying andselling turtle products within theU.S. is strictly prohibited by law,but turtle shell jewelry andsouvenirs are the most frequentcontraband seized by customsofficials from tourists returningfrom the Caribbean.

Indirect threats are harderto quantify, but it is likely thatthey are causing the greatestharm to sea turtle survival.

Commercial FishingThe waters of the Gulf of

Mexico and west Atlantic coastare a major habitat for turtles,but are also the main shrimpinggrounds in the U.S. Each year,thousands of turtles becomeentangled in fishing nets anddrown. Worldwide, shrimptrawling probably accounts forthe incidental death of morejuvenile and adult sea turtles

The killing of sea turtles for meat is still a significant problem in many Caribbean countries.

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E

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allowed to proceed duringnesting season, nests can also beburied far beneath the surfaceor run over by heavy machinery.

Pollution

Pollution can have seriousimpacts on both sea turtles andthe food they eat. New researchsuggests that a disease nowkilling many sea turtles(fibropapillomas) may be linkedto pollution in the oceans and in

nearshore waters. Whenpollution kills aquatic plant andanimal life, it also takes away thefood sea turtles eat. Oil spills,urban runoff of chemicals,including fertilizers and petro-leum, all contribute to waterpollution.

It may seem that the threatsto sea turtles are almost too bigto overcome, but they are not.Through personal actions, suchas making sure that oil, paintsand other toxic chemicals aredisposed of properly, reducingthe amount of fertilizer andchemicals used on lawns, partici-pating in plastic recycling pro-grams and teaching others aboutwhat they can do help are allways to make a difference.

than any other source. At onetime, as many as 55,000 seaturtles were killed each year inshrimp nets in the southeasternUnited States alone. Today, allU.S. shrimpers are required toput Turtle Excluder Devices(TEDs) in their trawl nets.Unfortunately, not all fisher-men comply with the law, andsea turtles continue to drown inshrimp nets.

Ingestion of Debris and Plastic

Thousands of sea turtles diefrom eating or becoming en-tangled in nondegradable debriseach year, including packingbands, balloons, pellets, bottles,vinyl films, tar balls, andstyrofoam. Trash, particularlyplastic bags thrown overboardfrom boats or dumped nearbeaches and swept out to sea, iseaten by turtles and becomes adeadly meal. Leatherbacksespecially, cannot distinguishbetween floating jellyfish — amain component of their diet —and floating plastic bags.

Artificial Lighting

Nesting turtles once had notrouble finding a quiet, darkbeach on which to nest, but nowthey must compete with tourists,businesses and coastal residentsfor use of the beach. U.S.beaches are rapidly being linedwith seaside condominiums,houses and hotels. Lights fromthese developments discouragefemales from nesting and causehatchlings to become disori-ented and wander inland, wherethey often die of dehydration orpredation.

Coastal Armoring

Coastal armoring includesstructures such as sea walls, rockrevetments and sandbags thatare installed in an attempt toprotect beachfront propertyfrom erosion. These structuresoften block female turtles fromreaching suitable nesting habitatand accelerate erosion down thebeach. Armoring is especiallyproblematic along the east coast

of Florida, where beach develop-ment is occurring in the veryplaces where sea turtles come tonest by the thousands.

Beach Nourishment

Beach nourishment consistsof pumping, trucking or other-wise depositing sand on a beachto replace what has been lost toerosion. While beach nourish-ment is often preferable toarmoring, it too can negativelyimpact sea turtles. If the sand istoo compacted for turtles to nestin or if the sand imported isdrastically different from nativebeach sediments, it can affectnest-site selection, diggingbehavior, incubation tempera-ture and the moisture contentof nests. If renourishment is

Leatherbacks feed on jellyfish, but can die by eating discarded plastic bags.

Sea Turtle Conservancy - Educator's Guide Page 18

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Sea TSea TSea TSea TSea Turururururtlestlestlestlestles:

ConserConserConserConserConservvvvvation Sation Sation Sation Sation Strtrtrtrtratatatatategiesegiesegiesegiesegieso truly protect seaturtles around theworld, many different

countries and cultures mustcooperate and share responsibil-ity. International laws andagreements, research, and thework of dedicated organizationsand individuals each must play apart. Long-term protection ofsea turtles also means develop-ing solutions that reduce reli-ance on management methodsrequiring direct human involve-ment -- such as moving nests orraising hatchlings in captivity. Ifsea turtles cannot survive andreproduce on their own, withouthelp from humans, then theyare doomed.

Feeding and nesting groundsmust be protected, and a publicwildlife conservation ethic mustbe fostered that can withstandgaps in government regulations,pressure from private interests,and changes in the politicalclimate.

National LawsSea turtles are given legal

protection in the United Statesand its waters under the Endan-gered Species Act (ESA). TheESA lists the hawksbill, leather-back, Kemp’s ridley and greenturtle as endangered; and liststhe loggerhead as threatened.This designation makes it illegalto harm, harass or kill any seaturtles, hatchlings or their eggs.

It is also illegal to import, sell, ortransport turtles or their prod-ucts. In the United States, theNational Marine FisheriesService has jurisdiction over seaturtles in the water, while theU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service isresponsible for them on land.Other countries have their ownconservation laws and regula-tions that apply to sea turtles.

International AgreementsSome regulations affecting

sea turtles are global in scope.The "Convention on Interna-tional Trade in EndangeredSpecies" (CITES) controlsinternational trade in endan-gered and threatened species.Sea turtles are covered underAppendix I of this agreementand receive protection frominternational trade by all coun-tries that have signed the treaty.

State and Local ProtectionIn many states where sea

turtles nest, state laws have beenpassed to protect the species.These laws meet or exceed therequirements of the ESA. InFlorida for instance, the MarineTurtle Protection Act was passedgiving state agencies the powerto enforce regulations protectingturtles and their habitat.

Some local governmentshave passed regulations toeliminate or control artificialbeachfront lighting, which is

known to deter females fromnesting and disorient hatchlings.

Conservation GoalsThe threats facing sea turtles

are numerous and, for the mostpart, humans are the problem.For those of us trying to protectsea turtles, it is a mixed blessingthat so many threats are human-caused. On one hand, it is veryhard to change human behav-ior. On the other hand, at leastthere is hope for eliminatingthreats. If sea turtles were goingextinct because of geological orclimatic changes, there would bevery little we could do to help.

Some immediate goals forprotecting sea turtles include:

* Crack down on illegal inter-national trade in sea turtlesand their products by enforc-ing laws and agreements.

* Decrease the turtle deathscaused by commercial fishingthrough enforcement ofTurtle Excluder Device(TED) and gill net regula-tions.

* Protect nesting beaches byestablishing parks andrefuges or through regula-tions combined with publiceducation initiatives.

* Eliminate disturbances atnesting beaches by decreasingartificial lighting, haltingbeach armoring, regulatingbeach nourishment and

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T

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limiting the impacts ofpeople on the beach.

* Enforce national and inter-national laws to minimize thedumping of pollutants andsolid waste into the oceanand nearshore waters.

* Continue research andmonitoring activities so thatthe population can be moni-tored and conservationefforts can be focussed wherethey are most needed.

* Increase public awarenessand community participationin sea turtle conservationthrough educational pro-grams such as this one.

As sea turtles continue to be killed around the world by poachers on thenesting beach, in commercial fishing nets or by pollution, it is very difficultto explain the severe consequences this has on the species when thenumbers of nesting turtles seems to remain stable in areas. This visual aid,prepared by Dr. Jeanne Mortimer, is helpful in explaining how the completeharvesting of nesting females in a particular population (which is happeningnow in some parts of the world) may actually take decades to manifestitself on the nesting beach in reduced numbers of nesting adults. Whilethere may seem to be a never-ending supply of adult turtles to harvest, atsome point there will be no more maturing new generations of sea turtles toreplace those that have been killed. And once these too have been slaugh-tered, the population will crash suddenly.

In Florida and other stateswhere sea turtles nest, turtlewatches are conducted by trainedand permitted individuals. Thegoal is to educate people about seaturtles through direct contact,without disturbing the turtles. Ifyou are interested in going on aturtle walk, you can call the SeaTurtle Conservancy at (352) 373-6441 for a list of guides near you.Sometimes people encounter seaturtles on their own while walkingon the beach at night during nestingseason. If this happens to you, hereare some simple rules to follow:

* Do not walk on the beach witha flashlight or shine a light inthe sea turtle's face. The lightmay cause the female to abortthe nesting process, or other seaturtles nearby may be discour-

aged from nesting if there arelights on the beach.

* Do not take pictures usingflashes. This high-intensity lightcan be even more disturbingthan the flashlights.

* Stay clear and out of sight of theturtle until she begins layingeggs, otherwise you may scareher back into the sea.

* For your safety, stay away fromthe turtle's head. Sea turtles,especially loggerheads, havevery strong jaws and can harmyou if provoked.

* Do not handle the eggs or putany foreign objects into the nest.You can introduce bacteria orinjure the eggs.

* Do not handle or ride the seaturtle. In addition to beingillegal, you may injure theturtle or cause her to leavewithout finishing nesting.

* Do not disturb tracks left byturtles. Researchers sometimesuse the tracks to identify thetype of turtles that nested and tofind and mark the nests.

* Do enjoy the experience andremember it for the rest of yourlife.

What tWhat tWhat tWhat tWhat to Do If Yo Do If Yo Do If Yo Do If Yo Do If You Encountou Encountou Encountou Encountou Encounter a Ner a Ner a Ner a Ner a Nesesesesesting Sea Tting Sea Tting Sea Tting Sea Tting Sea Turururururtletletletletle

Sea Turtle Conservancy - Educator's Guide Page 20

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Coastal Habitats:Coastal Habitats:Coastal Habitats:Coastal Habitats:Coastal Habitats:

Florida's Coastal CommunitiesFlorida's Coastal CommunitiesFlorida's Coastal CommunitiesFlorida's Coastal CommunitiesFlorida's Coastal Communities

Page 21 Sea Turtle Conservancy - Educator's Guide

ontaining nearly 1,200miles of diverse coast-line covering several

climate zones and includingmangrove forest, lagoon, saltmarsh, maritime hammock,barrier island, coastal strand andtropical key communities, Floridais a very unique state. Thecoastal communities are home toa wide variety of plant andanimal species, including manyendangered and threatenedspecies. The beach and duneecosystem is the most commoncoastal habitat, covering ap-proximately two-thirds ofFlorida’s coastline.

Native Species Native animal species use thebeach and dune ecosystem allyear long as a source of shelterand food or as a nesting siteduring the summer. Residentanimal species, such as beachmice, ghost crabs, sand fleas,racoons and several species ofbirds have adapted to survive in

the harsh heat and droughtconditions all year long. Migra-tory species only use the beachduring certain seasons. Threespecies of sea turtles regularly useFlorida’s beaches as summernesting habitat, while manyspecies of shore birds use thebeach as over-wintering habitat. Native plants species, such assea oats, beach cordgrass, dunesunflower and railroad vine, aresaltwater and heat tolerantenabling them to survive longperiods of dryness. Many nativebeach and dune plant specieshelp to protect and stabilizebeach dunes during storms withdeep and multilayered rootsystems that help hold the soiland sand intact. If soil is erodedaway during a storm, the newlyexposed roots often form a rootwall in front of the exposeddune. These roots act as a sandtrap, catching sand in the rootsand eventually helping torebuild and stabilize the dune.

Beach Dynamics Beach and dune systems,especially barrier islands, areactive and are constantly beingshaped by erosion (removal ofsand from a beach), storms,accretion (addition of sand to abeach) and the natural drift ofsand along the coast. Beacherosion and accretion are causedby ocean currents, wave actionand changes in the sea level.

Over the past century, a portionof Florida’s beaches have beenlost due to a gradual one-footincrease in the sea level. With an ever-changingenvironment, beach and dunespecies have adapted over time tospecialized roles, connecting thesurvival of animal species withthe survival of plant species andthe condition of the habitat. Longshore drift (the per-petual movement of sand along acoastline) and coastal windsconstantly move sand along theshore, while storm events helpbuild or erode the sand. Duringhurricanes and major storms,sand is removed from a beachand deposited off shore, formingsandbars. In contrast, the gen-tler waves shift the sand fromthe offshore sandbars back ontothe beach. All of these forcesinteract to determine the slope,shape and size of a particularbeach.

Beach Communities There are three very impor-tant communities found in thebeach and dune ecosystem:coastal strand, maritime ham-mock and barrier islands.

Coastal Strand

The coastal strand is a thinstrip of fragile, woody vegetationthat lies between the beach andthe maritime hammock. Thiscommunity is found only along

C

Florida's Beach andDune Ecosystem

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Sea Turtle Conservancy - Educator's Guide Page 22

the east coast of Florida andprovides a dense growth ofnative plants such as palmetto,sand live oak and Spanish palms.This dense vegetation is theperfect place for the southeast-ern beach mouse, gopher tor-toise, indigo snake and otherrare and endangered species. Coastal strand habitat onceformed a continuous band upand down the coast, but it is nowvanishing quickly due to coastaldevelopment. In addition,introduced species (such as housecats) are wiping out beach mice

and coastal birds. The coastalstrand is now severely frag-mented, leading to the loss ofseveral local beach mouse popu-lations. The Archie Carr NationalWildlife Refuge, Sebastian InletState Park and Canaveral Na-tional Seashore contain some ofthe last individuals of the south-eastern beach mouse, as well asremnants of the coastal strandhabitat upon which they depend.

Maritime Hammock

The maritime hammock

community is found just inlandfrom the coastal strand. Thiscommunity becomes establishedon older dunes that are stableenough to support the growth oftrees. Plant species include liveoak, cabbage palms, wild coffee,coral bean and several species offerns. The maritime hammockprovides habitat for many speciesof animals including tree frogs,squirrels, scrub jays, blue-tailedskinks and both resident andmigratory song birds. Unfortu-

Coastal ecosystems can be a complex of several coastal communities. This diagram depicts the locations of thecommunities found on and around a barrier island. Maritime Hammocks and Coastal Strands (A) provide a stable soilfor woody vegetation. Dunes (B) provide habitat for many species of plants and animals. Near Shore Waters (C)support a wide varity of fish and invertebrates in the shallow, sandy water. Barrier Islands (D) are formed by shiftingsands that build up over time and support other communities. Lagoons (E) are areas where fresh and salt water mix.Salt Marshes (F) are areas of vegetation that are periodically flooded and are found on barrier islands and the main-land. The inlet (G) provides a tidal flow of water between the lagoon and ocean.

G

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What about Sea Grass Beds?

Florida has 1.5 million acresof sea grass beds. These bedsare important feeding andbreeding habitats for manymarine species, including seaturtles. Unfortunately, sea grass bedshave been on the decline since1940 and more than one-third ofthe original sea grass around thestate has been lost. These areasare declining due to pollutionand are being damaged by boatpropellers and anchors.

nately, these areas are well-suitedfor development because of thestable, well-drained soil, leadingto the rapid decline of maritimehammock habitat. Besides their ecologicalimportance, many maritimehammocks contain shell mounds,or middens, left by Florida’soriginal human inhabitants andprovide an important archeologi-cal link to Florida’s history.

Barrier Islands

Barrier islands make up morethan 700 miles of Florida’scoastline. They are naturallyformed by shifting sands thatbuild upon an existing sandbar toeventually form an island. Thesand that has accumulated abovethe water surface becomes thehome for the drifting seeds ofbeach plants. As the seeds growand develop, their roots stabilizethe soil, allowing the develop-ment of coastal strand andmaritime hammock communities.Barrier islands support more than35 species of plants and animalsthat are listed as either rare,threatened or endangered. Barrier islands are greatlyaffected by the forces of wind andwaves and are constantly movingtowards or away from the main-land. Because barrier islandsprovide mainland protectionfrom hurricanes and large stormsby absorbing the impact of wavesand storm water over flow,entire barrier islands can beseverely reshaped or completelydestroyed by a major storm.

Brackish Communities Lagoons lie between barrier

islands and the mainland, whileestuaries are found directly onthe coast and are open to thenear shore area. Estuaries andlagoons are areas where saltwateroceans and freshwater rivers mixtogether, forming brackish water.Because lagoons receive someprotection from a barrier island,they have less tidal flow andmore standing water, whileestuaries have strong tidal flowsand little standing water. La-goons and estuaries are veryimportant because they support adiversity of plants and wildlife. The most impressive exampleof a lagoon in Florida is the156-mile-long Indian RiverLagoon. This area is adjacent tothe Archie Carr National Wild-life Refuge and is an importantfeeding area for juvenile seaturtles. Unfortunately, marinepollution has caused the healthof the lagoon to deteriorate, andwildlife and plant abundance hasdecreased. There are numerousefforts now underway to restorethe health of the Indian RiverLagoon.

Salt Marshes

Salt marshes contain mostly tallgrassy plants that are periodicallyflooded by ocean tides. The plantcover differs within the marshaccording to small changes inelevation. Marshes help stabilize sedi-ments and buffer inland areasfrom storms. These communitiesare also very biologically diverse,supporting a wide variety ofspecies ranging from fish tooysters. Salt marshes are alsoimportant feeding areas forwading birds, such as herons and

egrets. The species that live insalt marshes have adapted tosudden changes in water level,water and air temperatures andoxygen levels in the water.

Mangrove Swamps and Forests

Florida has about 500,000acres of mangrove forests alongits coastline. Mangroves receivean abundant supply of freshwater and perform importantfunctions such as filtering outpollution, holding sediments,protecting the shoreline fromerosion and providing habitatfor a variety of animals. Mangroves are the mostbiologically diverse of all thelagoon and estuary communities.They provide habitat for at least220 fish species, 24 reptile andamphibian species, 18 species ofmammal and 181 species ofbirds. Commercial fishermenalso depend on mangroves forthe production of lobster, shrimpand snapper. Mangroves can bevery susceptible to coastaldevelopment and pollution.

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This section describes someof the major threats to Florida'scoastal habitat and wildlife. Theone thing that all of thesethreats have in common is thatthey are primarily caused byhumans. While it is disturbing toknow that our own actions canhave such negative impacts, thefact that we are to blame leaveshope that we can change ourbehavior to protect the resourceswe enjoy so much and dependupon.

Development Rapid coastal developmentthreatens the future of Florida’sbeach and dune ecosystems. Asnew houses and condominiumsare built on beaches and barrierislands, many fragile and impor-tant coastal communities arebeing lost forever. Unfortu-nately, as more and more peoplemove into the state, many ofthem gravitate toward thecoastline--resulting in evenfaster rates of development. Thegradual disruption of coastalhabitat not only affects thesurvival of plant and animalspecies, but also reduces theoverall health of coastal ecosys-tems.

Coastal Armoring Coastal armoring, such as seawalls, rock revetments and otherman-made structures, can

Coastal Habitats:Coastal Habitats:Coastal Habitats:Coastal Habitats:Coastal Habitats:

ThrThrThrThrThreats teats teats teats teats to Coaso Coaso Coaso Coaso Coastttttal Communitiesal Communitiesal Communitiesal Communitiesal Communitiesnegatively affect coastal ecosys-tems and wildlife by interferingwith natural beach shapingforces and disturbing habitat--especially sea turtle nestinghabitat. Armoring is built in aneffort to slow or prevent theerosion of sand in front of housesor other coastal structures.Unfortunately, sea walls provideonly temporary relief from thenatural process of erosion andoften increase the rate of erosionon adjacent sections of beach.As erosion and sea-level riseputs more coastal structures atrisk, armoring will become evenmore of a problem in Florida.

Inlet Jetties Inlets provide ocean access forrecreational and commercialboats. Jetties, such as those atSebastian Inlet, are built tostabilize inlets by trapping sandthat would otherwise constantlyreshape the inlet. Unfortunately,by trapping sand, jetties preventthe natural flow of sand along acoastline--causing the beach onone side of the inlet to erodefaster than normal. Sometimes,sand can be "bypassed" aroundthe inlet, but this process is veryexpensive.

Pollution Coastal waters and beachesare under constant threat frompollution. Coastal ecosystems,

such as lagoons, mangroves andsalt marshes, are often polluted byrunoff from the mainland. Riversthat empty into these coastalwaters carry pollution from inlandsources, such as runoff from lawnsand farms. Pesticides, fertilizers,oil spills and sewage plant dis-charges also pollute our coastalwaters. Beach-goers can also pollutecoastal ecosystems. Beach drivingcauses oil and other toxic fluids toaccumulate in the sand, eventu-ally reaching the ocean. Litter leftby beach visitors is blown intothe water and may be eaten bymarine animals, including seaturtles. As pollutants accumulateover time, our oceans may even-tually no longer be able to sup-port the plants and animals thatdepend on them to survive.

Exotic Vegetation Non-native, or exotic, vegeta-tion has invaded many coastalareas. Most exotic species wereintroduced by humans as orna-mental plants for landscaping.Invasive coastal species, such asAustralian pine, melaleuca andBrazilian pepper, out-competeFlorida's native plants, such as seaoats, sea grape and dune grass,degrading the quality of wildlifehabitat. Invasion of the coast byspecies that are less effective atstabilizing dunes also leads toincreased beach erosion.

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s Florida’s humanpopulation continuesto grow and urban

development spreads across thestate, it becomes more and moreimportant to protect the re-maining undeveloped areas ofthe beach and dune ecosystemand its diversity of communities,plants and animals. The cre-ation of state and federal pro-tected areas through the pur-chase of undeveloped land is animportant step in the conserva-tion and survival of Florida’sthreatened and endangeredspecies, including sea turtles.One of the most important seaturtle nesting habitats in theworld is being protected by theArchie Carr National WildlifeRefuge, a cooperative effortbetween federal, state andcounty agencies and severalprivate organizations.

Archie Carr NationalWildlife RefugeRefuge History

The Archie Carr NationalWildlife Refuge was designatedby Congress in 1989 to protectone of the most important seaturtle nesting sites in the world.

Long stretches of quiet,undisturbed sandy beaches, withlittle or no artificial light, areessential to the reproductivesuccess and survival of seaturtles. This fact is recognized in

Coastal Habitats:Coastal Habitats:Coastal Habitats:Coastal Habitats:Coastal Habitats:

PrPrPrPrProooootttttecting Beacecting Beacecting Beacecting Beacecting Beach and Dune Ecosyh and Dune Ecosyh and Dune Ecosyh and Dune Ecosyh and Dune Ecosyssssstttttemsemsemsemsemssea turtle recovery plans devel-oped by the U.S. Fish andWildlife Service (USFWS),which call for purchasing andprotecting the best remainingnesting beaches.

In North America, seaturtles primarily nest fromNorth Carolina throughFlorida, with more than 90%occurring in Florida. Withinthat range is the Archie CarrNational Wildlife Refuge, a20.5-mile stretch of beachbetween Melbourne Beach andWabasso, along Florida’s eastcentral coast. The refugeattracts more nesting, threat-ened loggerhead turtles thanvirtually anyplace else on earth.These Brevard and Indian RiverCounty beaches also attractmore nesting green turtles, anendangered species, than any-place in the continental UnitedStates. Even the endangeredleatherback occasionally climbsup these beaches to deposit hereggs in the sand. Protection ofthese beaches is essential to thesurvival of loggerheads andgreen turtles in North America.

To preserve this globallyimportant nesting ground, theUSFWS is in the process ofacquiring the remaining unde-veloped lands betweenMelbourne Beach and Wabasso.The state of Florida, Brevardand Indian River counties, theprivate Mellon Foundation and

the USFWS are each contribut-ing money in the effort to buyland from willing sellers withinthe proposed refuge boundary.By mid-1996, more than $60million had been spent topurchase 4.7 miles ofbeachfront out of 9.3 milestargeted for acquisition.

How Was the Refuge Named?

The idea to establish anational wildlife refuge toprotect sea turtles began in thelate 1980s as a direct result ofthe work of world-renownedecologist Dr. Archie Carr.When Congress approved therefuge proposal, it was decidedto name the refuge in honor ofDr. Carr’s contributions to theunderstanding and conserva-tion of sea turtles.

Dr. Carr was a zoologyprofessor at the University ofFlorida, and his ability totranslate science into literaturebrought international attentionto the plight of sea turtles. Dr.Carr helped found the SeaTurtle Conservancy (STC) toconduct research, educationand advocacy on behalf of seaturtles; he wrote 11 books andmore than 120 scientific articlesabout sea turtles and theirhabitats before his death in1987. Through its Sea TurtleSurvival League program, STCis today helping enhance,protect and promote the Archie

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A

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Carr National Wildlife Refuge.

Sea Turtles and Other CoastalWildlife in the Refuge

Thorough scientific studiesof sea turtle nesting activityalong the beaches of the refugehave continued each nestingseason for almost a decade.Studies by Dr. LlewellynEhrhart, University of CentralFlorida, confirm the globalimportance of the refuge tologgerheads and green turtles.

During recent nestingseasons, which run from Mayto October each year, between16,000 and 20,000 loggerheadnests were counted in therefuge. Nesting like this makesthe refuge the most productivenesting site for loggerheads inthe Western Hemisphere, andpossibly in the world. Eachseason, between 200 and morethan 1,000 green turtle nests arecounted in the refuge. A fewrare leatherbacks also nest thereeach year. The refuge provides habitatfor other threatened andendangered species, suchas the Florida scrub jay, gophertortoise, beach mouse andnumerous plant species bysupporting coastal strand,maritime hammock and barrierisland communities.

A Wildlife Refuge at Risk

The Archie Carr Refugerepresents the nation’s mostsignificant land acquisitioneffort to protect the world’spopulations of marine turtles.Unfortunately, rapid coastaldevelopment in Brevard andIndian River counties continue

to threaten the future effective-ness of the refuge. Supportersof the refuge work towardsacquiring the best remainingparcels of undeveloped land.Unfortunately, funds availablefor land acquisition, especiallyfrom the federal level, arescarce.

Successful completion ofthe Archie Carr NationalWildlife Refuge depends on anincrease in funding for landacquisition efforts and widepublic support for the refuge.Since the dedication of therefuge by Congress, thefinancial contributions of localand state governments andprivate, nonprofit organizationshas surpassed the federalcommitment. Scientists, conser-vationists and land managersconsider completion of theacquisition phase of the refugeas the most essential step.

How the Sea Turtle Conser-vancy is helping the Refuge

The Sea Turtle SurvivalLeague (STSL) engages ineducation, research and advo-cacy designed to protect,promote and enhance theglobally important sea turtlenesting beaches of the ArchieCarr National Wildlife Refuge.Educational programs target themedia, the public and schoolswith information about theimportance of the area and thethreats it faces. Increasedawareness is helping raise publicsupport for land acquisitionfunding. Through advocacy, theSTC works with decision-makersto ensure that sea turtles andtheir habitat receive the greatestlevel of protection. The SeaTurtle Survival League supportsand publicizes research in therefuge, including nesting surveysand tracking of green turtlemigratory patterns.

Site of theRefuge

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GeGeGeGeGetting Intting Intting Intting Intting Invvvvvolololololvvvvved:ed:ed:ed:ed:

What YWhat YWhat YWhat YWhat You Can Do Tou Can Do Tou Can Do Tou Can Do Tou Can Do To Geo Geo Geo Geo Get Int Int Int Int Invvvvvolololololvvvvvededededed* Adopt-A-Turtle to SupportSea Turtle Conservation

Have the class take a per-sonal interest in one of thesatellite-tagged turtles or a turtletagged in Costa Rica. The $25donation directly supports seaturtle conservation.

* Reduce the Amount ofPlastic Garbage You Produce

Have each class memberbring in all the plastic trashcollected at home in a 24-hourperiod. Discuss the amount allthe students in the school mightproduce in a day; the whole city;the state; the nation. As a class,discuss how people can getthrough each day using lessplastic and where to recycleplastic -- then agree to do it.

* Tell People How HeliumBalloons Harm Sea Turtles

Helium-filled balloons arefrequently released into the skyto celebrate events. Like plastictrash, helium balloons end up inthe ocean, especially whenreleased near the coast. Seaturtles mistakenly eat the bal-loons and die. Ask groupsplanning a ballon release toconsider another attentiongetter.

* Write a Letter to the Editor ofYour Local Newspaper

Find out how to submit a"Letter to the Editor" to yourlocal paper. Have students write

letters that inform your commu-nity about the plight of sea turtlesand other marine wildlife. Youmight even let people knowabout this program. If you livenear the coast, ask people to dotheir part to protect nestingturtles and hatchlings by turningoff beachfront lights duringnesting season or opposing theuse of coastal armoring.

* Write Letters to or Call YourElected Officials

There are a number ofongoing issues affecting sea turtlesor their habitats that are beingdebated by the State Legislature.First, discuss the layout of a letterwith students (see the adjacentarticle for tips on writing to politi-cians). Next, have students writeor call in support or opposition toa particular issue. STSL canprovide information on currentissues.

* Reduce the Amount of Chemi-cals You Use

Many people use chemicalsand fertilizers on their lawns andgardens. Used motor oil andpaints are deadly to plants andanimals if not disposed of cor-rectly. Many of these chemicalsget washed into coastal lagoonsand wash up on beaches. Havethe class find biodegrad-able lawnand garden products and facilitiesthat properly dispose of toxicchemicals.

Tips for Writing Letters toDecision-Makers

1) Original letters count most.Express your views in your ownwords and, if possible, include apersonal experience in your letter.

2) Address one issue at a timeand be brief. One page is perfect,but you could go to two. Legiblehandwritten letters are fine.

3) Your first sentence should statewhere you live, especially if youare a constituent of the electedofficial to whom you are writing.

4) The first paragraph shouldexplain why you are writing andwhat you want the person to do.

5) Ask for a response. Forexample: “I look forward tohearing how you will vote.”

6) Be polite in the letter andthank the reader for consideringyour views.

7) Remember, when electedofficials receive enough lettersabout a particular issue, theiropinions can be influenced.

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Accretion - the addition of sand to a beach by a gradual,natural process.

Arribada - Spanish for “arrival,” used to refer to themass, synchronized emergence of nesting sea turtles.

Artificial Lighting - Light created by human-madesources, such as lamp posts and porch lights.

Beach Renourishment - the addition of sand to a beachby humans to replace sand lost through erosion.

Body Pit - the upper part of a turtle nest where the turtleremoves the surface layers of sand before digging the eggchamber.

Brackish - somewhat salty water usually found inmarshes, lagoons and estuaries along the coast.

Carapace - the dorsal or upper portion of a turtle’s shell.

Carnivore - an organism that eats only other animals.

Caruncle - a temporary, sharp egg-tooth on hatchlingsused to tear open the egg shell.

Clutch - a nest of eggs.

Coastal Armoring - anything built along a beach toprotect structures from beach erosion.

Community - a group of animal and plant species thatlive in the same area and interact with each otherthrough food chains and other interrelationships.

Convention on International Trade in EndangeredSpecies (CITES) - agreement to control the internationaltrade of endangered and threatened species.

Crustacean - organisms such as lobsters, shrimp andcrabs that have hard outer shells, jointed limbs andusually live underwater and have gills.

Ecosystem - a system made up of biological communitiesand the physical and chemical environment.

Egg Chamber (Cavity) - the part of a turtle nest wherethe eggs incubate.

Endangered Species - an organism that is in danger ofbecoming extinct.

Endangered Species Act (ESA) - a law that protectsendangered and threatened species in the United Statesof America.

Erosion - the removal of sand from a beach by either agradual process or during a storm event.

Estuary - an area where fresh water and salt water mixwith a strong tidal flow and little standing water.

Exotic Species - species that are introduced into an areawhere they are not naturally occuring.

Extinct - when the last living individual of a species dies,causing the species to no longer exist.

False Crawl - term used to describe when a turtle crawlsonto the beach but does not nest.

Fibropapillomas - a disease that casues cauliflower-liketumors to grow on sea turtles and other animals.

Habitat - a place where a plant or animal naturally lives.

Herbivore - an organism that eats only plants.

Incubate - process during which eggs develop intohatchings.

Lagoon - an area where fresh water and salt water mixwith a weak tidal flow and standing water.

Latitude - distance in degrees north or south of theequator.

Longitude - distance in degrees east or west on theEarth’s axis.

Longshore Drift - the perpetual or constant movementof sand along a coastline.

Magnetic Field - a region in which there is a magneticforce, found in the materials of the earth’s crust.

Middens - a garbage heap, usually referring to ancientmounds of artifacts, bones and discarded shells.

Migration - the act of moving from one place to another.

Natal Beach - the beach where a sea turtle was born.

Native Species - species that are indigenous or belong toan area.

Nest - the structure made for laying and incubating eggs.

Plastron - the lower or ventral portion of a turtle’s shell.

Poach - to hunt illegally.

Predator - an organism that lives by capturing andfeeding on other animals or their eggs

Pristine - an area that is untouched or unspoiled.

Satellite Telemetry - technology that uses a radio trans-mitter to transmits signal to satellites orbiting the Earth.

Scutes - the hard scales covering a turtle’s shell.

Storm Event - a disturbance, usually having strong winds,rain, thunder and lighting.

Threatened Species - an organism that may becomeendangered.

Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) - a device attached to ashrimp net to allow sea turtles and other large organismsto escape from the net while allowing shrimp to becaught.

GlossarGlossarGlossarGlossarGlossary of Ty of Ty of Ty of Ty of Terererererms:ms:ms:ms:ms:

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Appendix A:Appendix A:Appendix A:Appendix A:Appendix A:

NNNNNational Sational Sational Sational Sational Stttttandarandarandarandarandardsdsdsdsds

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National Science Education Standards:Science as Inquiry* Identify science questions* Use evidence to describe, explain, predict and model* Use critical thinking logic to relate evidence to explanations* Recognize and analyze alternative explanations* Use math in all phases of inquiry

Life Science* Structure and function in living systems* Reproduction and heredity* Regulation and behavior* Population and ecosystems* Diversity and adaptation of organisms

Unifying Concepts & Processes* Form and Function

Science in Personal & Social Perspective* Personal Health* Populations, resources and environments* Natural hazards* Risks and benefits* Science and technology in society

History and Nature of Science* Science as human endeavor* Nature of science

Data Analysis & Probability* Formulate questions that can be addressed with data and collect, organize, and display relevant data toanswer them* Understand and apply basic concepts of probability

National Council of Teachers of Mathmatics:

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Sea Turtle Conservancy - Educator's Guide Page 30

Standard 4Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) tocommunicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.

Standard 7Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing prob-lems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and non-print texts,artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.

National Council of Teachers of English:

Standard 1How to use maps and other geographic representations, tools, and technologies to acquire, process, andreport information.

Standard 14How human actions modify the physical environment.

National Geographic Education Standards:

Social, ethical and human issues* Students practice responsible use of technology systems, information, and software.* Students develop positive attitudes toward technology uses that support lifelong learning, collaboration,personal pursuits, and productivity.

Technology productivity tools* Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.

Technology research tools* Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources.

Technology problem-solving and decisionmaking tools* Students use technology resources for solving problemsand making informed decisions.

National Techology Education Standards:

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Page 31 Sea Turtle Conservancy - Educator's Guide

Appendix B:Appendix B:Appendix B:Appendix B:Appendix B:

Sunshine SSunshine SSunshine SSunshine SSunshine Stttttatatatatate Se Se Se Se StttttandarandarandarandarandardsdsdsdsdsScience Standards (K-2, 3-5, 6-8):SC.D.1.2 The student recognizes that processes in the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and bio-sphere interact to shape the Earth.SC.D.1.2.4- knows that the surface of the Earth is in a continuous state of change as waves, weather, andshifts of the land constantly change and produce many new features.SC.D.2.2 The student understands the need for protection of the natural systems on Earth.SC.D.2.2.1- knows that using, recycling, and reducing the use of natural resources improve and protect thequality of life.SC.F.1.2 The student describes patterns of structure and function in living things.SC.F.1.2.2- knows how all animals depend on plants.SC.F.2.1 The student understands the process and importance of genetic diversity.SC.F.2.1.2- knows that living things have offspring that resemble their parentsSC.G.1.1 The student understands the competitive, interdependent, cyclic nature of living things in theenvironment.SC.G.1.1.2- knows that plants and animals are dependent upon each other for survival.SC.G.1.1.3- knows that there are many different plants and animals living in many different kinds ofenvironments (e.g., hot, cold, wet, dry, sunny, and dark).SC.G.1.2 The student understands the competitive, interdependent, cyclic nature of living things in theenvironmentSC.G.1.2.1- knows ways that plants, animals, and protists interact.SC.G.1.2.5- knows that animals eat plants or other animals to acquire the energy they need for survivalSC.G.2.1 The student understands the consequences of using limited natural resources.SC.G.2.1.2- knows that the activities of humans affect plants and animals in many ways.SC.G.2.2 The student understands the consequences of using limited natural resources.SC.G.2.2.3- understands that changes in the habitat of an organism may be beneficial or harmful.SC.H.1.1 The student uses the scientific processes and habits of mind to solve problem.SC.H.1.1.1- knows that in order to learn, it is important to observe the same things often and comparethem.SC.H.3.2 The student understands that science, technology, and society are interwoven and interdepen-dent.SC.H.3.2.1- understands that people, alone or in groups, invent new tools to solve problems and do workthat affects aspects of life outside of science.SC.H.3.2.2- knows that data are collected and interpreted in order to explain an event or concept.

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Sea Turtle Conservancy - Educator's Guide Page 32

Language Arts Standards (K-2, 3-5, 6-8):LA.A.2.2 The student constructs meaning from a wide range of texts.LA.A.2.2.5- reads and organizes information for a variety of purposes, including making a report, con-ducting interviews, taking at test, and performing an authentic task.LA.A.2.2.8- selects and uses a variety of appropriate reference materials, including multiple representa-tions of information, such as maps, charts and photos, to gather information for research projects.LA.B.1.2 The student uses writing processes effectively.LA.B.2.2 The student writes to communicate ideas and information effectively.LA.C.1.2 The student uses listening strategies effectively.

Math Standards (K-2, 3-5, 6-8):MA.A.4.2 The student uses estimation in problem solving and computation.MA.A.4.2.1- uses and justifies different estimation strategies in a real-world problem situation and deter-mines the reasonableness of results of calculations in a given situation.MA.E.2.2 The student identifies patterns and make predictions from an orderly display of data usingconcepts of probability and statistics.

Geography Standards (K-2, 3-5, 6-8):SS.B.1.2 The student understands the world in spatial terms.SS.B.1.2.1- uses maps, globes, charts, graphs, and other geographic tools including map keys and symbolsto gather and interpret data and to draw conclusions about physical patterns.SS.B.2.2 The student understands the interactions of people and the physical environment.SS.B.2.2.3- understands how human activity affects the physical environment.

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"People tend to think of the productions of the sea as without limit,as fed by the limitless energy of the sun

falling on the five-sevenths of the earth's surface that the oceans are.But this comforting thought does not apply to sea turtles.

Huge nesting colonies of sea turtles have been wiped out before--in Florida, in the Bahamas and all about the Caribbean.

The dependence on wild shore for nesting,combined with the heavy natural predation on eggs and hatchlingsdeprives sea turtles of the resilience that many pelagic fishes have.

Turtle food comes mainly from the bottom in the shallow fringes of the sea,and turtles require peace on the seashore to breed successfully.

Sea turtle populations are small; and as man increases everywhere, they grow smaller."

--Dr. Archie Carr, "So Excellent A Fishe"

Sea turtles remain some of the most mysteriousand time-honored creatures on earth.

The Sea Turtle Conservancy,through its conservation initiatives

and education programs,is helping ensure the gentle sea turtle

remains a wild and thriving part of the natural landscape.

Sea Turtle Conservancy4424 NW 13th Street, Suite B-11Gainesville, FL 32609(352) 373-6441stc@conserveturtles.orgwww.conserveturtles.orgwww.tourdeturtles.org