Sea Turtle Recovery Action Plan for Barbados - WIDECAST

BACKGROUND
APPENDIX 1
Barbados Sea Turtles …
EXPANSION OF THE SEA TURTLE PROJECT IN BARBADOS
Sea turtle conservation activities have been underway in Barbados since 1987. The
activities have to date been implemented and sponsored by Bellairs Research Institute (BRI), and
the Fisheries Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries. The Barbados
Environmental Association (BEA) has organised beach surveys and produced posters and
leaflets on sea turtle conservation. Most of the activities are conducted by volunteers trained at
Bellairs Research Institute. An outline of current activities follows:
Monitoring of nesting activity: Reports of nesting by the public and National Conservation
Commission beach staff (rangers, life guards) are made to BRI and/or the Fisheries Division.
Reports are followed up with site visits by BRI staff to confirm nesting activity. The most
important stretch of nesting beach on the south coast (Hilton to Ocean View) is surveyed for
nesting activity each day by a trained volunteer (private citizen).
Tagging of post-nesting females: When public reports are made to BRI whilst nesting is
still in progress, BRI staff go to the beach immediately. Nesting animals are measured and
tagged before they leave the beach. Titanium tags (Stockbrands Company, Australia) marked
with a number and the wording "Bellairs, Barbados, Reward" are used. Tagging training was
originnally received at the Caribbean Conservation Corporation's field station at Tortuguero,
Costa Rica. Three BRI staff are currently trained to tag turtles.
Movement of nests endangered by a significant threat: Nests threatened by predation,
beach erosion, storms or compaction are moved to safer locations on the same beach or, rarely,
to styrofoam containers for laboratory hatching.
Monitoring of hatching events: All nests are re-visited by BRI staff 65-70 days after
nesting. Nests are excavated and nest contents examined to assess hatch success and possible
causes of embryo and hatchling mortality. Nests made on brightly-lit beaches are re-visited 57
days after nesting and persons working/living in the immediate area are asked to dim lights and/
or look for disoriented hatchlings. Where disorientation is inevitable and will lead to high
mortality (e.g., nests made too close to brightly-lit highways), the nest is excavated and brought
to the laboratory for hatching. Hatchlings are then returned to the same beach (or nearby beach,
if lighting cannot be switched off) for release. Disoriented hatchlings collected by the
public/NCC wardens during the day following hatching are collected by BRI staff and released
the same night from the natal beach or as near as possible to it. Exhausted or injured animals are
treated (see below).
Strandings and the care of sick/debilitated sea turtles: Strandings of dead or injured sea
turtles are reported to BRI or the Fisheries Division. BRI or Fisheries staff collect the animal
Page 55