Hi All! I'm leaving for Brownsville and South Padre Island Texas tomorrow. We are fortunate enough to get to go a sea turtle recovery station and learn about the varying endangered species and how to watch for nesting turtles etc. I LOVE sea turtles and am very excited about this. My question is: Do turtles nest on Ambergris Caye, and for that matter anywhere in Belize? If they do, what species? I only saw one turtle while snorkeling the reef, and wasn't sure if he was a rarity or if there are many and they are just elusive. Any experiences with this?
Debbie

Hi again Debbie. Yes, I know they nest on Placencia peninsula, I'm not sure about AC or the cayes. I know they hatch near Maya Beach and further north to dandriga or hophins[gales point?] I saw a really col show on TLC or OLN about this Bze guy who has appointed himself the turtle savior and helps the little guys get to the sea. Is there anything cooler then snorkling/diving and mimicing a turtle as it flys throught the water?

The turtles also nest up on the north end on Ambergris Caye.There is a guy that lives up where I have land that monitors the turtle movements.I don't know his name.

this is great news!!!! Anyone know of the species???? Big Frank, I had the honor of helping little turtles to the water on the Mayan Riviera about 6 years ago. The lights from the hotel were confusing them and they were heading inland. My husband and I scooped them up and took them to the water. It was one of the most wonderful experiences of my life. We convinced the hotel to turn all the lights off, and we were overjoyed to see them going the right way. This is what started my turtle fascination. Thanks for the info!!!!
Is the man on the north end of Ambergris that monitors the turtles with GreenReef?
Debbie

[This message has been edited by Debbie (edited 04-26-2001).]

The guy up north that monitors sea turtles is Greg Smith. Contact the Hol Chan Marine Reserve office and talk to one of the Bacalar Chico staff (Ismael or Auriol) as they are involved with the nesting sites on north A.C.
Turtles that nest in Belize are the green, hawksbill, loggerhead.
Gail Bradley Miller
Sea Studies Intl. & UnBelizeable Adventures

Saw MANY Loggerhead in the water..think the count was at 7 for my dives...several were 4' plus in size...played with that one for 3-4 mins. They are soo cool. They all seemed very healthy and happy..but who would'nt be there!

WOW!!!
The sea turtles were fabulous!!! I learned so much and can now identify the varying species. This was a great experience. Thank you so much BZGIAL for the information on the turtle guy. We will DEFINATELY look him up when we get there. I'm printing this thread and will carry the info with me. We are looking very forward to hooking up with him. As always, you all are great!
Debbie

Last April, there were many turtles around, it being mating season and all. One of the DM's I was with would catch them and bend what I thought was the tail, then hang onto the shell and ride the turtle. He could make the turtle turn by doing that. The DM then handed off to one of the other divers to do the same. I was appalled and told one of my other DM friends. He too was appalled but added, "That's not the turtle's tail!" I kinda had to laugh, knowing that the tourist diver wouldn't have been so pleased to know what he'd really been hanging onto. On another dive, since I like to hang out at the back of the pack of divers (as well as being a very quiet calm diver) a turtle came to within a couple of feet of me, as I hung in the water column waiting to see what would happen. Just as I was starting to get nervous, another diver noticed and made a big cafluffle in the water. The turtle gracefully veered off into the distance. My same DM friend told me that turtles have poor eyesight and it may have been coming over to check me out as a possible date! I dunno, maybe he was just teasing. :^)

Seashell,
I too am appalled. Seems cruel. I did learn that turtles have very sensitive skin and that they even have sensitivity in their shells. They can feel pressure and actually like rubbing their shells. Some will rub against things for the sensation. they are quite curious. Some I saw were in tanks recovering from injuries. (so sad, but many go through rehab quite well) As I moved around the tank, they would follow me. If I stopped and leaned down to coo at them, they would surface and snort at me, roll to one side, open their mouth and look me straight in the eye. Some species are strictly vegetarian and others not. Squid is the favorite food of most. All turtles nest at night, except the Kemp's Ridley. They only nest during the day. I found out that turtles with a missing flipper can survive quite well in the wild or return to the wild, but the females will be unable to nest(they can't dig appropriately) and males have difficulty mating (they can't mount the female) They whole thing was fascinating. some of the turtles there were missing more than one flipper and would never be successful in the wild. I was shocked that they could swim at all. One had been found with a cracked shell, and when he healed, it left an air bubble under his shell near his rear end. His butt was always trying to float, so they outfitted him with weights like a diver and it worked like a charm. The problem was, he wasn't full grown, and if they let him go, as he grew the weights would no longer be heavy enough. They are going to try surgery and vaccuum out the air trapped under the shell. I sure hope it works. His name is bubble butt. Naturally he was the favorite of my kids. This really is a wonderful place.
Debbie

Debbie! How cool. Thanks for sharing all this. As you know also I love turtles and had some encounters along Tulum Beaches and in the Bahamas. They are such gentle creaturs.

What a wonderful job you have Debbie. I especially loved the story about Bubble Butt. Sure hope it works out for him.

Seashell,
Actually it's my husband's job. He works for an international conservation organization. He loves his work. Amazes him daily that he gets paid to do what he loves. He was recently trained and certified to do sea turtle recovery. He was so excited about it, he wanted to share it, so he took us to the recovery station for a mini training, visit and tour. In two weeks he will be on an ATV for three days straight patroling South Padre Island for nests. Not everyone's cup of tea I'm sure, but fascinating for some. He's been invited to do this in Mexico as well. We'll see.
Now you understand the desire to meet the turtle guy on the north end of Ambergris. They can talk "shop". LOL
Debbie

Debbie! Your husband has the best job on this planet. He is so lucky.

Munichchick.
Of course!!!! He has me..... *grinning*

Seriously. He IS lucky. He's told that quite often.
Debbie

Debbie,
I hope you husband can get in touch with some of the folks in Belize involved in sea turtle conservation. I worked for years as a marine science educ. for a US aquarium and did lots of programs on sea turtles so I know of their plight. I wrongly gave you one of the names and as I was typing it, it didn't look right. Anyway it is Isaias Majil not Ismael.
Also, you may want to refer to cccturtle.org to follow the satellite tracking of a turtle tagged in Gales Point if its on their website. I think they named it Gale.

Seashell,
I hope you steer away from the DM that was hanging on to the turtles tail. I don't want to lecture, but sea turtles are protected in all the worlds oceans, including Belize and his behavior constitutes harrassment of an endangered or protected species.


[This message has been edited by bzgial (edited 05-02-2001).]

BZGail, I'm well aware of that but thanks muchly. It's good to tell everyone. I stay away from that DM for many reasons. :^)

worse, i think the implication was that it WASN'T it's tail. it was a mating male...