Latest update February 20th, 2025 9:10 AM
Significant decline in turtle nesting – Turtle Conservationist
Entangled leatherback released on Almond Beach
Turtle conservationists have noticed that the peak of the nesting season for the turtle population seems to be not as significant as in the past three years, according to the Guyana Marine Turtle Conservation Society (GMTCS).
The Marine Turtle project had been monitoring the nesting site of Almond Beach for the past four months and there has been a decline of the Greens for this season. The leatherbacks are also small in numbers; with an average of seven turtles per night in comparison to 15 in 2010 nesting season. However, the conservation society is receiving turtles that were tagged in 2007 and 2009 nesting season; all turtles returning are in healthy conditions with tags still attached to their flippers.
“We had also attached to three turtles, two leatherbacks and one Green, satellite tracking devices. This programme was funded by WWF and for the first time we are able to follow or track the turtles from Guyana.
“By logging onto the website: www.conserveturtles.org you can journey with our turtles ABBE, CARA and LUISE, as they travel along the coastal waters of the Guiana’s,” Country Coordinator of Marines Turtle Project, Romeo De Freitas said.
Within the past week three leatherbacks entangled in a net in the sea were rescued. They were trapped in gillnets. During this period of the season which is regarded as the peak of nesting, many turtles are close to the shore — within 15 miles of their nesting sites.
According to De Freitas, because of heavy fishing off the north western coast many turtles are accidentally caught by long gill nets fishing boats. However, some turtles may have survived while others suffered by drowning or at the hands of the fishermen. Many turtles drift ashore with severe chops and missing limbs.
The Rangers of the GMTCS are reminding the public that Sea turtles are all critically endangered species under CITIES and need to be protected.
The GMTCS noted that ocean patrols are conducted by the Rangers during this period to advise and occasionally guide fishermen away from the nesting sites.
It was further noted that fuel for ocean patrols and off shore monitoring is an ongoing contribution from Simpson Oil Limited (SOL) as has been the case over the past decade.
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