The Sea Turtle Conservancy’s 2016 Tour de Turtles Migration Marathon kicked off bright and early Saturday evening with the release from Disney’s Vero Beach Resort of Bailey and Destiny, two loggerhead sea turtles named after characters in Disney’s animation “Finding Dory.” Saturday guests filled the Barrier Island Center at the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge for a sold-out Fundraising Social and Silent Auction, and early Sunday morning loggerheads Lenora and Turpac were released from the refuge.
Our four local moms will join 10 others – three leatherback, three green and two hawksbill nesting turtles from Panama, Cuba, Costa Rica and Nevis, plus a rehabilitated juvenile green from Marathon Key and a rehabilitated juvenile loggerhead from Clearwater – who will all be tracked via satellite transmitter from August through October as they “compete” to swim the furthest distance.
The public can follow the migratory patterns of these ancient, endangered creatures while learning about the many man-made hazards that threaten their existence at the website www.tourdeturtles.org.
Every bit as important, each turtle can be “adopted” through a Cause Challenge to combat threats to sea turtles and marine conservation. Our four local turtles are swimming to bring awareness of the threats to their survival from light pollution, plastic debris, beach erosion and commercial longline fisheries.
“Our turtle walks this season have included visitors from several countries – Netherlands, Switzerland, Australia and New Zealand,” said Jill Uttridge, a Friends of Archie Carr volunteer. “This is a good example of our global reach in tourism and concerns for the plight of sea turtles.”
Shelby Oktar was pleased to be at the social representing Vero-based Sea Turtle Real Estate, a new sponsor of the event.
“It was a banner year for sea turtles this year; they are doing so well,” said Oktar. “Because of Sea Turtle Conservancy and other groups like it, sea turtles are making a major comeback. The incident rate of loggerhead nesting here has been really, really great.”
“This was the week that broke our loggerhead record; we’re excited about it. We’re just over 6,600 loggerheads across the county,” said Kendra Cope, sea turtle coordinator/environmentalist specialist for Indian River County, adding that Indian River’s lowest point was in 2009. “We’ve been recovering ever since. Conservation and education efforts, people’s awareness and improvements in fishing equipment have helped increase the numbers. I wish I could say the same about plastic, but I can’t; plastic is an ongoing problem.”
Numbers at Archie Carr, which spans Brevard and Indian River counties, are even more impressive, with 19,275 loggerheads (with a debate as to whether it’s the highest or second highest number since conservation efforts began at the refuge), 798 greens, 72 leatherbacks and one Kemps Ridley.
“What’s happening here, on the beach and the community, shows that sea turtles and people can coexist when the community supports it, as this area has done,” said STC Executive Director David Godfrey. “Everyone does their part. After 25 years of protection, the turtle population of this area is growing exponentially.”
