Ask Dr. Turtle

Why are Drexelina and Sundae on land?

2007-04-27T06:49:00.000-05:00

Many people are asking why Drexelina and Sundae are on land. They aren't really, they look like they are on land in the race because of the resolution of the computer graphics. They are actually swimming near shore. Go to the Topp.org site and you will see that they have been swimming along the coast of Costa Rica and have come back to the beach to nest several times. So they have decided to stay in the Race for Survival instead of the Great Turtle race. By laying another 3 or 4 nests they have produced another 180-240 eggs that will lead to another 70 to 100 hatchlings. They may get to the Galapagos later than the rest of the turtles, but they will have a better chance of leaving some turtles for the next generation.

Leatherback turtles have to lay between 500 and 1000 eggs to produce another adult female turtle. Only 39% of the eggs hatch and about 89% of the hatchlings reach the water past the array of predators on the beach. We hope that by protecting the beach, and moving clutches of eggs that are in danger of being washed away by the tides to safer places we can increase the number of hatchlings produced at Las Baulas Park and thus increase the number of leatherbacks over the next few years.

Thanks

Dr. Turtle

What is Drexelina doing?

2007-04-24T08:42:00.000-05:00

People have been worried about Drexelina. What is she doing? Is she OK?

Don't worry. Drexelina is fine. In looking at her tracking data it appears that she has come up to nest several times over the last two months. She is just a super mom. She has laid four more nests and is staying near the beach so she can lay more eggs. She will produce even more hatchlings than we had counted before the race started. She is also keeping an eye on the beach. Can't trust those developers.

Do you want to help her? If so, go to the donate button on the first page and send a donation. Or go to the Leatherback Trust site www.leatherback.org and donate there. Drexelina thanks you and all of us helping her thank you as well.

Dr. Turtle

Save the leatherbacks in Costa Rica

2007-04-23T12:29:00.000-05:00

People have been asking me: What can I do to save the leatherback turtle from extinction?

Well there is one very concrete thing that you can do. Write an email or letter to the President of Costa Rica Dr. Oscar Arias and ask him to complete the land acquisition needed to finish the Las Baulas Park. This park is essential to protect the last major nesting colony of leatherback turtles in the eastern pacific. That is where the turtles started the Great Turtle Race. If the lands behind and around the beaches there are not acquired by the government foreign developers will build hotels and houses on that land and will drive away the turtles. Tamarindo used to have leatherbacks nesting there. Flamingo did as well. Now all they have is hotels, houses and people. So go to http://www.seaturtles.org/actionalertdetails.cfm?actionAlertID=126 and join the hundreds of scientists, conservationists and other people who have already joined the campaign. You can copy the url and place it in your browser. The turtle need your help now!

Thanks

Dr. Turtle

Don't buy land in the Las Baulas Park

2007-04-23T12:36:00.000-05:00

I went to some of the My Space links for the turtles in the Race and found that there were ads there for land in Costa Rica. Must have been placed there by the Ad Spiders- robot programs that seek out key words and place ads accordingly. Then I went to one of the ads and found a listing for a lot on Playa Ventanas that is within Las Baulas Park. Can you imagine that? Real estate people are still trying to sell lots on land that is in the National Park on the last nesting beaches for the leatherback turtle in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. At the same time they are fighting the consolidation of the Park and trying to stop the government from acquiring the land that is in the Park by law!

The turtles really have a tough time with these people. Please do not help cause the extinction of the leatherback turtle. Don't buy land along Playa Grande, Playa Ventanas or Playa Langosta in Costa Rica. Do join the international campaign to save the Park. Go to http://www.seaturtles.org/actionalertdetails.cfm?actionAlertID=126 and get involved.

Thanks

Dr. Turtle

Red lights?

2007-04-20T12:00:00.000-05:00

On the totally awesome Great Turtle Race website, "Leatherback World: On the Brink" page, at the Ranger Station, it states that the ranger uses red light at night, standard flash lights with a red gel filter covering the lens. I was curious of what the red gel filter is and how effective is it on reducing the disturbance caused by ordinary flash lights on nesting turtles based on past experiences? Regards, Arvind

Arvind,

The red lights are made by putting a plastic cellophane like piece of red plastic over a regular flashlight. That gives the red light. Humans can see red light but scientific studies show that turtles cannot. In this way the scientists and rangers can measure and study the turtles without causing them any distress. The turtles do not see the red light. The red lights do not do anything to reduce disturbance from ordinary flashlights that are not covered. However, on the beach at Las Baulas Park no one is allowed to use regular flashlights that give off white light. If you use a white light it may cause the turtle to go back into the water. If you shine the light on the turtle it will disorient it and cause it to walk in circles.

Thanks for your question.

Dr. Turtle

Gambling

2007-04-18T13:23:00.000-05:00

Lots of people have been asking if they could bet on the turtle race. Others have made suggestions about betting: "It might be a good idea if you let people bet on the race. By naming each turtle with numbers, people could bet on who's going to win, and 50% of the prize money could go to the turtle's conservation program. If there are too many turtles to name, put them in groups or in a team. "

Well the answer is no! As non profit organizations, The Leatherback Trust, the owner of the Race and the Race co-founders, Conservation International and Stanford University (Tagging of Pacific Pelagics) cannot support gambling. In addition, many people would be offended if we were gambling on the turtles.

I have noticed that there is an internet site promoting gambling overseas. We do not support that or any other internet gambling site. Please be aware that such sites are not sanctioned or approved by The Great Turtle Race!

Dr. Turtle

Sleeping turtles

2007-04-18T12:45:00.000-05:00

Jeff asked: "I was wondering how often do they sleep on their journey to the Galapagos and where do they do it? "

Jeff, no one knows how much leatherbacks sleep on their way to the Galapagos. I expect that they sleep for a few hours every night. We know that green turtles and loggerheads sleep every night when on their home territory. They go to the bottom and stick their heads under rocks or coral and sleep all night. They can hold their breath several hours when resting. Loggerheads also go to the bottom and sleep all winter in the Cape Canaveral ship channel in Florida. They don't need much oxygen in cold water. The same is true for freshwater turtles. They sleep or hibernate at the bottom of ponds in winter.

Now leatherbacks- I have seen hatchlings sleep for hours when in a large tank or aquarium. They just fold up their flippers and lay on the surface, occasionally picking up their heads to breath. I expect that the adult females racing to the Galapagos do the same. They probably just lay at the surface and snooze for a few hours at night. It would be great fun to see that.

Dr. Turtle

What is the Bigest Threat to leatherbacks?

2007-04-17T10:54:00.000-05:00

Someone asked me the other day: What is the biggest threat to leatherbacks?

The answer is in two parts: First- fishing, Second- destruction of nesting beaches.

Fishing- longlines in the Pacific catch 63% of the leatherbacks in the Pacific each year and kill 10%. Only 30% of the turtles that we tag on the beach at Las Baulas Park ever return to nest again.

Destruction of nesting beaches- Foreign developers want to develop hotels and houses on the beach inside Las Baulas Park. That will destroy the nesting beach. The turtles won't nest there anymore. Its is like airplanes coming back to an aircraft carrier. If the carrier sinks it doesn't matter how many airplanes there are. The same is true for the turtles. If the beach is ruined it doesn't matter how many leatherbacks there are.

You can help- write to the President of Costa Rica, Oscar Arias and ask him to complete the land acquisition for the Park. That would be a great help to the effort to save the leatherbacks.

Dr. Turtle

The Race Begins

2007-04-15T09:32:00.000-05:00

People often ask me- Why did you do a Great Turtle Race? Isn't that too commercial?

Well the answer is simple. The leatherback turtles at Playa Grande and in Las Baulas Park in Costa Rica have their backs, or I should say, carapaces up against the wall. After a generation of egg poaching and harassment we helped the Costa Ricans to establish a park and protect the turtles. However, the adults are being killed at a fantastic rate in the ocean- 22% a year- and foreign developers want to put houses and hotels right on the beach. That would destroy nesting there. So my colleague, Frank Paladino and I, and our other colleagues and students, will do everything possible to save these animals and the Park. We saw this Race as a way to get the word out to the public about the turtles, how magnificent they are, where they go in the ocean and their plight on the beach. We want to inform and energize the public around the world to protect the park and the turtles! I hope that you can help. Enjoy the race and get the word out to your friends.

Dr. Jim Spotila- Dr. Turtle

2007-04-06T11:59:00.000-05:00