the JUMBY BAY Hawksbill Project

Extracts from the past: On Pasture Bay Beach

2011-12-05T15:24:00.001-04:00

As nesting season reaches its peak for the Hawksbill Turtle the Environmental Awareness Group (EAG) is attempting to get residents actively involved in the preservation of the fragile species. EAG representative Lia Nicholson, speaking on

6 week update!

2010-07-15T03:43:00.004-04:00

Since our last post, we've had 6 more girls join the nesting cohort, 2 more preseason nests hatch, loads of rain for this time of year, and a turtle in the pool (again!).Last night we came across a seemingly normal track leading up the beach from the water. We follow it up and over a ledge that borders a property and keep following it until it disappears against a raised tile patio. Oh no...She's

2010-07-03T03:21:00.003-04:00

And we're back for season #24!All of a sudden we're a month into the nesting season with 22 hawksbills to date! 6 are neophytes (first timers), 9 are maiden returnees (second timers), and 7 have nested for 3 or more seasons.We recognize several girls from 2008 - our first season with the project. In fact, 9 of the 16 remigrants so far are on a 2 year remigration interval. Cassie is the first

Jinx

2009-10-27T06:13:00.002-04:00

22:45 – Turtle at 3Dom: where is she?Kate: behind the 3 palm, she’s digging.The turtle is unsuccessful digging in the hard substrate and has made her way up and over a little wall, stopping at the edge of the terrace surrounding the pool. Alice: what if the turtle goes into the swimming pool?Dom: she’s not going in the swimming pool.Alice: but what if she does? How will you get her out?Dom: well,

300!

2009-10-21T03:30:00.000-04:00

The Battle of Thermopylae took place in August or September 480 BC at the pass of Thermopylae. King Leonidas of Sparta led an allied force of c. 7000 men to block the advancing Persian army led by King Xerxes. It occurred during the second Persian invasion of Greece.Leonidas took 300 men of the royal bodyguard and more support troops joined the party on the way. By the time they arrived at the

October Update - 76 turtles!

2009-10-15T10:17:00.000-04:00

With only 5 weeks to go, the season is slowly coming to an end. So far, we have reached an astonishing 76 turtles – the all time high for the project was 67 in 2008. Had you asked us in July if the project would pass last year’s numbers we probably would have said no. The season has seen a second wind: nesting activity continued steadily through August and the last 3 weeks has seen 11 more

Midseason report - edited version!

2009-09-15T00:01:00.002-04:00

Nesting ActivityThe season began slowly but steadily. Entering the peak month of August - after 8 weeks of patrols - turtle numbers were lower than last year, and nesting neophytes were especially low. However, after a surge of activity in August, we have surpassed last year’s records. This season has now seen 65 turtles, including 21 neophytes, compared to 60 turtles and 25 neophytes at this

2009-08-20T00:00:00.000-04:00

Jumby Bay Hawksbill ProjectJuly Update 2009The 23rd season of the Jumby Bay Hawksbill Project began officially on June 1st. Moonlit patrols for nesting activity continue every hour of every night until mid-November to ensure all nesting turtles are documented. So far we are right on schedule with turtle numbers, having seen 42 individual turtles and 93 nests. The season started slowly and

Got a crush

2009-08-05T00:00:00.001-04:00

A radio goes off; Turtle 18 … she seems injured. Turtle 18 … there is a problem. The crawl is missing the characteristic 'walk' pattern. She is injured . There seems to be a deep jagged cut on the left side of her shell. Her back flippers don't move. It is a bleak sight. A couple of minutes later she turns and hastily makes her way back to the water. [the next night] Quiet night. 11:30 pm. A

The human touch

2009-07-21T00:56:00.003-04:00

The fading moon light starts to reveal a track in the distance. Getting closer, the track becomes clearer and clearer. It looks smaller than usual. She seems small. We creep up behind her and shine red light over the end of her carapace. It is damaged. The supracaudal is missing. She has trouble digging her nest. She needs help. We settle in behind her and start digging with her. Time for another

Nesting season's rolling right along

2009-06-29T23:16:00.007-04:00

Well, with just about 4 weeks of patrols completed in the 2009 research season, the hawksbills are nesting at a record-setting pace on Jumby Bay. A total of 26 turtles, including 7 neophytes (or first-time nesters), have already been recorded crawling on the beaches. And those hawksbills have laid 40 nests! At an average of about 150 eggs per nest, that means there are about 6000 ping-pong ball

Crazy girls!

2009-06-25T00:00:00.002-04:00

On our shortest night of the season [that will be June 21st] we had a quite improbable scenario!No, not the fact that 4 turtles came up to nest that night; we can deal with that, without a problem. Not the 2 neophytes, that is also easy. Just the way they acted!The first girl came on to the beach around 22:00 and had 3 nest attempts before finding a suitable spot to dig her nest. She chose a

State-side nesting predictions

2009-06-01T00:15:00.002-04:00

Well, we're looking forward to the start of the Jumby Bay nesting season from back here in Minnesota, too. Our predictions:Seth: 72 total turtles, 30 neophytesCarol: 73 total turtles, but the tea leaves weren't quite clear as to the number of neophytes.And Dom and Kate, we're wagering a couple of mangoes that our numbers will prove correct.Best of luck on the beach this year - we'll be thinking

Welcome!

2009-05-29T00:32:00.001-04:00