Caretta Research Project Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge
Procedures Tagging the turtle on front flippers with a inconel tag or P.I.T. tag Classifying and recording the observed turtles Nest Protection and Relocation
If the nest needs to be relocated due to the high water mark, then the eggs are carefully removed, counted and relocated For protection of all nest, screening is placed over nest sites and secured with metal stakes Conditions of the nests are monitored throughout the incubation period
Hatchlings After a 45-day incubation period the nest are monitored 24 hours a day for emerging hatchlings Nest are excavated three days after 1 st emergence to examine the remaining eggs
Dawn Turtle
Some of the Other Wild Life at Wassaw
Decked Out in Turtle Patrol Gear
Wassaw Lodging
Fellow Volunteers
Taking A break At Wassaw
REEF COMPONENTS Animals Plants Algae Animals, plants, and algae that produce calcium carbonate Limestone produces from algae
REEF DAMAGE Damage from storms takes up to 10 to 25 years to recover Divers fins and collecting Boat anchors Chemicals Oil spills Over fishing, which creates overgrowth in algae and kills the corals Reef still trying to recover from El Nino from 1983, and the global climate is crucial during development
REEF DAMAGE FROM ANCHOR
RATE OF GROWTH METHOD OF EVALUATION RATE inch/yearYEARS TO GROW A 1,400-METER REEF Carbon-14 dating0.6233, ,300 Coral growth and potential estimate 2.981,550, ,900 Carbon-14 dating0.041,400,000 -<70,000 Growth rings (and maximum) 0.032,000, ,000 Potential estimate3.2317,500 Soundings11.315,000 CO2 system0.2700, ,000 CO2 system0.041,750,000 -1,270,000 Soundings16.733,380
Acid Rain Produced from sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides Comes from burning of fossil fuels like coal, natural gas, and oil Acids made from the sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides meeting with the combo of moisture in the atmosphere to form sulfuric acid and nitric acid
How does this affect the reef? Changes the acidity of the water Low pH Chloride cells are impaired Gills can’t osmoregulate