Welcome back Old Girl!

June 23, 1987: A hawksbill turtle emerges from the surf, what she doesn't know is that she is about to make history. In those days little was known about the basic biology of hawksbill turtles; they were mainly known for their shell -the tortoiseshell pattern or bekko – and were extensively hunted. She is the first turtle tagged on Jumby Bay, and the star of many stories.

July 19, 2010: A hawksbill emerges from the surf, what she doesn't know is that she is about to make history. Nowadays a great deal of information has been collected on hawksbill turtles and there basic biology is understood. Many question still go unanswered, but time is an important factor in there life. How long do they live? For how long can they lay eggs? Well we don't know.
But 24 years after first emerging from the surf in 1987, she is back for a 10th nesting season.

Of course much has changed since the mid 80'; the beach is slowly recovering from the years of sand mining, much of the original native maritime forest has been lost either to hurricanes or to development. But efforts are being made to restore some of the vegetation, planting of native (and non native) species has provided cover for nesting turtles and has helped stabilise the beach and make it less vulnerable to erosion. More work is being done, more vegetation is being planted (native species) and the happy co-habitation of humans and turtles continues.

Her tag, PPN001; her name, Nina. If you cross her path, salute her as every egg that she lays, every season that she nests makes history: the turtle with the longest nesting life: 24 years.