Besides Father’s Day, Sunday also happened to be World Sea Turtle Day. For readers in metro Atlanta, and much of Georgia, sea turtles may not feel like a “Georgia” thing, but they certainly are. Loggerhead sea turtles are the most common but among the world’s seven species of sea turtles, five of them are regularly found along Georgia’s coast – loggerhead, green, leatherback, Kemp’s ridley and hawksbill. World Sea Turtle Day is a chance to raise awareness of the majestic creatures.
Those loggerheads are actually doing exceptionally well this year. As of Tuesday the 11th, nearly 1,800 loggerhead nests had been reported along the coast this season. Each nest contains about 100 eggs, although many of those may not hatch or the hatchlings may not make it to the water. The report is great news for the recovery efforts of the loggerhead, declared threatened back in the 70’s and receiving protection under the Endangered Species Act. It is the only species not listed as endangered.
The majority of loggerhead nesting, for a turtle that is found nearly all over the world, occurs in two main places, Masirah Island, Oman and the southeastern United States. Some 30,000 females find their way to Masirah Island and a similar amount in the southeast. Last year’s entire season total was 1,742 and has already been surpassed.
“This progress did not happen by accident. It is the result of more than 50 years of efforts by researchers, volunteers, advocates, business leaders, and everyday citizens, who have worked together on behalf of our wildlife and the beautiful coast we call home,” said Catherine Ridley, vice president of education and communications at One Hundred Miles, a coastal advocacy group.
Landers reports that one turtle has been nesting on Wassaw Island every year since 1986, laying more than 4,500 eggs. Loggerheads attain an average weight of 250 pounds and feed on crabs, whelks and other mollusks. It takes around sixty days for the eggs to develop. Hatchlings leave the nest at night, working to avoid crabs, sea gulls or raccoons looking for a late-night snack. Male loggerheads will never return to land again. Only the females will return, likely to the area of their birth, to lay eggs – after maturing for approximately 34 years before being ready to lay eggs.
The pace of Georgia’s nesting so far this year is on track for between 4,000-4,500 nests. The previous record was 3,289 so it is likely to be broken.
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources has much more information about loggerheads and all the other sea turtles found along Georgia’s coast.
SeaTurtle.org also has a tracking project partnered with the DNR where you can follow along with some of the turtles that visit Georgia’s coast, as they make their way all up and down the Atlantic coast.
