The human touch

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 patrol. Her nest isn't deep enough. There is time to patrol and get back before she starts laying. We get back to her. She has just started laying. The nest will be to small. We start digging a new one and relocate the eggs. We can finally see the extent of the damage.

There are two cuts nearly parallel to the spine. The supracaudal is completely missing. Further up there are two deep cuts perpendicular to the spine. Laterals 3 and 4 on the right, as well as dorsal 4 and 5 are touched.



The biggest cut is 12 cm long and 2 cm wide. Most likely the result of a boat propeller. 60 million years of evolution didn't prepare her for that.
She has finished laying; 176 eggs.

A ghost crab runs across the beach, another wave breaks.