Plight of the Sea Turtles  Photo courtesy of Turtle Trax C UKB&PAB

Biology of Sea Turtles  Well-suited to life in the sea  Males rarely return to land  Females only return to lay eggs  Range from 85 to 2,000 lbs Photo courtesy of Ray Carthy

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

Biology of Sea Turtles  Cannot retract heads far into shell  Have lifespan of decades  Tropic and temperate reptiles  Carapace composed of scutes  Photo courtesy of Turtle Trax

Nesting Biology  Nest May-September  Nest mostly at night  100 ping-pong ball size eggs  May return several times a season  Nest every 2-3 years  Temperature of nest determines sex of young Photos courtesy of Ray Carthy

Female turtles often appear to weep when nesting Photo Courtesy of Ray Carthy Nesting Behavior

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

Green Turtle  Largely vegetarians  100 to 1000 nests  Named for green body fat  Average 350 lbs  Average length 3.3 ft  Olive brown, dark streaks and yellow plastron Photo courtesy of Ray Carthy

Many of Florida’s green turtles have tumors called fibropapillomas.  Photo courtesy of Turtle Trax

Ocular Tumors  Photo courtesy of Turtle Trax

Leatherback Turtle Photo Courtesy of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration  3000 ft divers  Regulate body temperature  nests

Leatherback Stats  Average 6 ft in length  Weigh 500 to 1,500 lbs  Covered in firm, leathery skin  Black with white, pink and blue spots  Eat jellyfish  Found in Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans  Photo Courtesy of Ray Carthy

Loggerhead Turtle  Most common sea turtle in Florida  Photo courtesy of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Loggerhead Stats  Average of 275 lbs  About 3 ft in length  Ruddy brown on top, yellow underneath  Eats clams, crabs and other crustaceans  Falls prey to sharks Photo courtesy of Ray Carthy

Mystery Illness  Photo courtesy of UFCVM

Kemp’s Ridley Turtle  The Kemp’s Ridley is the rarest sea turtle in the world and is considered the most endangered Photo courtesy of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Kemp’s Ridley Stats  Weigh 85 to 100 lbs  Measure 2 to 2.5 ft long  Principal diet is crabs and crustaceans  Only one major nesting beach called Rancho Nuevo in Mexico  Fewer than 1000 nesting females remain  Headstarted in Galveston, Texas  Photo Courtesy of Ray Carthy

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

Hawksbill Stats  Adults weigh between 100 to 200 lbs  Average of 30 inches long  Black and brown markings on amber  Oval-shaped body and distinctive jaws  Sponges are preferred food  Found in Atlantic, Pacific, Indian oceans  Photo Courtesy of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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

Lighting Photos Courtesy of Ray Carthy

Crows and Ghost Crabs Photos courtesy of Ray Carthy

Coyotes and Foxes Photos courtesy of Ray Carthy

Raccoons Photo Courtesy of Ray Carthy

Beach Driving Photo by Margaret Lamont

Additional Threats to Turtles  Trawling  TED’s  Pollution

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

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

Turtle Exclusion Device Photo Courtesy of ACCSTR

Pollution Photo courtesy of Ray Carthy

Coastal Impacts  Beach Armoring  Coastal Development  Beach Renourishment

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

Coastal Development Photo courtesy of Ray Carthy

Beach Renourishment  Provides nesting habitat  Might affect site fidelity  90 projects are planned between 2000 and 2046  Type and size of sand might affect nesting  Photo by Margaret Lamont

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

Research  Distribution, abundance, life histories  Turtle deaths, disease, and their causes  Identification of genetic stocks  Sex-determination techniques  Nesting ecology  Effects of lights, beach armoring and renourishment Photos courtesy of Ray Carthy

Bureau of Protected Species Management  Recovery program planning, management, and administration  Coordination of research and management activities  Habitat protection  Education The Sea Turtle section  Photo Courtesy of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission  Participates in decisions regarding sea turtles and habitat  Reviews permits for coastal development  Field evaluations  Educational Activities  Photo courtesy of Ray Carthy

Florida Marine Research Institute  FMRI staff responds or coordinates response to all reported turtle strandings  Species, location, measurements, and anomalies are documented  Fresh carcasses are retained for necropsy  This info used to monitor and document mortality factors Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network

Laws and Statutes  Federal Endangered Species Act  Florida’s Marine Turtle Protection Act  Many county and municipality ordinances  Photo Courtesy of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

How You Can Help Photo courtesy of Ray Carthy

Solutions To Decrease Light  Turn off unnecessary lights  Don’t use decorative lights  Face lights away from the beach  Shield the light source  Paint is a temporary solution  Replace exposed light sockets with recessed  Replace fixtures with directional fixtures  Replace lights on poles  Replace bulbs with sodium-vapor or bug lights  Plant or improve vegetation buffers  Use shielded motion lights  Apply window tint or blinds. Move lights away from windows

Sick, Injured or Dead Sea Turtle  If you see a dead, sick or injured sea turtle call the Florida marine patrol at  DIAL-FMP or  Contact FMRI turtle stranding staff by pager at (ID# )  Be prepared to answer the following questions

 What is the location of the turtle?  Is the turtle alive or dead?  What is the approximate size of the turtle?  Is the turtle marked with spray paint?  What is the location of the closest access point to the turtle? Photo by Margaret Lamont

Summary  Air-breathing reptiles  Seven species of turtles; five in Florida  All are endangered or threatened  Temperature of nest determines sex  Photo by Margaret Lamont

Summary  Threatened in many ways: coastal development, pollution, drowning in fishing nets, and light pollution  Research has focused on females and hatchlings  Protection remains a key goal in survival  Photo by Margaret Lamont

Acknowledgements Developed by April Weaver and Dr. Mark Hostetler, Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, IFAS, University of Florida In conjunction with: Dr. Ray Carthy, USGS, BRD, Florida Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission The Florida Marine Institute Environmental Defense National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Turtle Trax University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine

Acknowledgements Photo credits: Ray Carthy Margaret Lamont Turtle Trax-Ursula Keuper-Bennett & Peter Bennett National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine