Chelmsford girl’s mission is to protect area turtles

Courtesy photo

Katarina Monnes with a turtle while in Florida.

By Molly Loughman/mloughman@wickedlocal.com Posted May 23, 2013 @ 12:06 PM

Chelmsford —

Increasing respect and knowledge for the world’s oldest creatures, World Turtle Day is coming to Chelmsford, thanks to one 11-year-old’s determination to bring awareness to the gentle animals facing extinction.

Parker Middle School fifth-grader Katarina Monnes will host a turtle awareness and children’s activities program at the Chelmsford Library on Thursday, May 23, from 3:30 to 5 p.m., as a part of her Girl Scouts Bronze Award project.

“They are interesting creatures. They have been around since before dinosaurs and have many unique characteristics. Did you know turtles never age? Some scientists are studying that. They can live to be over 100 years old, and only die from injury or disease, not old age,” said Monnes, who has raised funds for several national turtle foundations.

The turtle hurtle

Monnes is now making it her mission to save local turtles, of which at least three of the six species are listed as threatened or endangered. In Chelmsford, there are box turtles, painted turtles, snapping turtles, bog turtles, red-eared slider turtles and wood turtles. The wood, box and bog turtles are endangered species.

“I hope people learn how to help, what we’re doing wrong to hurt the turtles, how we can stop that and more ways we can bring up the number of turtles,” said Monnes, who participated in a Junior Vet program at the Loggerhead Marine Rescue Center in Juno Beach, Fla. last year.

Since embarking on her Bronze Award project, Monnes met with Alexxia Bell, a founder of the Turtle Rescue League, to gain information about the species and ways to help.

With the help of her Girl Scout Troop 66349, Monnes will paint 10 Turtle Crossing signs for the Turtle Rescue League, using wood donated by the Chelmsford Lumber Company. Some turtle awareness signs near wetlands around town were stolen. Monnes plans to post more, especially on Smith Street, which abuts a large wetland complex associated with River Meadow Brook. Monnes’ turtle sign paint and supply was donated by Chelmsford’s Sherwin Williams store.

To get to the other side

“Turtles are endangered because of development (loss of habitat), pollution and being hit by cars on roads and injured by mowers,” said Monnes, who encourages other to post signs where turtles are being killed or injured.

Monnes and her troop will also aid the Chelmsford Conservation Commission by cleaning up local turtle nesting areas, including Crooked Spring Pond at the end of the month. In addition, they’ll conduct turtle spotting over the summer to check for injured or dead turtles.

“Be careful when mowing and avoid mowing fields in June and August, take shorter showers and restrict lawn watering (to conserve water and avoid draining our ponds), recycle and cover your trash and recycling bin,” Monnes said.

On Thursday, Monnes, with the help of Cori Rose of CCC, will provide a poster identifying heavy turtle crossings streets in town and where people need to be especially cautious during May and June, which is turtle hatching season.

“In the spring, usually between May and June, the mature female turtles leaves the wetlands, streams and woods to travel to nesting sites to deposit their eggs. This is when single adults are likely to be lost to roadway mortality,” said Rose, adding in August and September after hatching from the nest, the hatchling turtles start making their treacherous trip back to their natural habitats where they will spend most of their life.

“If people can be vigilant and slow down in known crossing or nesting areas, especially at dusk and dawn after a day of rain in May and June, individual mortality and population-level impact could be reduced,” she said.

Monnes will create flyers for neighborhood distribution informing others to watch out for turtles and encourage people to help the turtles they find on the roads.

According to Rose, if a turtle is in the road, try to protect it while it crosses, if it is safe to do so. If a turtle needs assistance to cross a road, always take it across the road in the direction it was heading. Try to minimize handling as much as possible. Hatchlings can be relocated by bucket.

“Not only can adults learn about turtles, but even kids. I’m hoping kids will learn not to take them home for pets and learn about how you can help. I’m hoping to get at least 20 people,” said Monnes, explaining turtles shouldn’t be sold in pet stores.

For more information or how to help turtles, visit turtlerescueleague.com. For lists of turtles in Mass. and to sign up to be a “turtle spotter” for the Turtle Atlas, visit turtleconservationproject.org
Turtles in the road

1. The intersection of Riverneck Road, Billerica Road (Route 129) and Turnpike Road

2. Concord Road and Boston Road (Route 4) in the vicinity of Harvey Road

3. Boston Road in the vicinity of Wildes Road and Roberts Street

4. Brick Kiln Road near Alpine Street and UPS Road

5. Riverneck Road near Canal Street and between Route 3 and the Lowell Connector

6. Smith Street, near Steadman Street

7. Near the intersection of Main Street and School Street

8. Littleton Road between Tadmuck Road and Garrison Road

9. Acton Road between Greenwood Road and Hart Road

10. Littleton Road (Route 110) between Enterprise Bank and Town Center

To monitor turtle crossings on your own with the help of online database reporting or to work with someone from the Conservation Commission, call 978-250-5248 or email aleflore@townofchelmsford.us

via http://www.wickedlocal.com/chelmsford/news/x83397132/Chelmsford-girls-mission-is-to-protect-area-turtles?zc_p=1

 

Animal Control Tries to Hatch Eggs of Dead Mother Turtle

Posted by Bill Bittar (Editor), May 23, 2013 at 01:53 pm

This is the time of year when female turtles come out of the water to bury their eggs in nests on dry land, but two snapping turtles didn’t make it across the street this week.

One turtle killed by a vehicle on Purdy Hill Road Thursday morning, across from the entrance to Great Hollow Lake, was found by a Public Works employee with its eggs scattered on the road.

“This is the first time in my years that unbroken eggs were found after a turtle was hit,” said Animal Control Officer Ed Risko.

Monroe Animal Control has decided to try to help the eggs to hatch.

“We’re going to finish the planting for her,” Risko said of the dead turtle. “We’ll create our nest into a planter behind a closed fence to try to protect it, because out in the open 90% of these nests are destroyed.”

In the video with this story, Animal Control Officer Teri LaTulipe creates the nest for the turtle eggs at the animal shelter on Purdy Hill Road.

If the eggs survive, Risko said they will hatch within 80 to 90 days.

A female turtle lays approximately 20 to 40 creamy white, ping-pong ball-sized eggs, according to the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection.

A snapping turtle’s sex is determined by temperature. Eggs maintained at 68 degrees Fahrenheit produce only females, eggs maintained at 70-73 degrees Fahrenheit produce both male and females, and 73-75 degrees Fahrenheit produces only males, the DEEP says.

Risko said snapping turtles come out to bury their eggs in May and June into July. June is Snapping Turtle Month.

Turtles are most likely to come out when the weather is warm and rainy, like Thursday, Risko said.

The other turtle hit by a vehicle this week was a 25-pounder on Barn Hill Road on May 20. Risko said no eggs were found at the scene.

via http://monroe.patch.com/groups/monroe-animal-reports/p/animal-control-tries-to-hatch-eggs-of-dead-mother-turtle

Become a Volunteer at a Sea Turtle Protection Center in Athens, Greece

By annweeks | May 23rd, 2013 at 7:12 am

Ever thought about the idea of becoming a volunteer during a family vacation?

Ever thought about the idea of becoming a volunteer during a family vacation? A volunteer vacation is a nice added twist to any getaway even if it’s only for a day.

On our last trip to Greece, the kids and I visited and became volunteers for the day at Archelon — the Sea Turtle Protection and Rescue Society of Greece located several miles outside Athens.

Our recent visit to the center was led by a young university student from, of all places, Scotland. “I’ve committed my whole summer to volunteer and walk the beaches to help find injured turtles,” explained student guide Lucy Lue, who one day wishes to become a veterinarian and is currently an undergraduate at St. Andrew’s University in Scotland. Although it sounds like an ideal way to spend a summer holiday, Lucy said that a typical work day at Archelon starts with a turtle walk “as early as 5:30 AM in order to meet the tides.”

Her guided tours for the turtle rescue center begin much later than dawn. Still, no matter the hour, kids will love the hands-on approach at Archelon where they can learn to protect, restore and rehabilitate a sick or injured turtle. And, as a bonus, if you happen to find a sea turtle on your volunteer walk, you are allowed to name it during its stay at the center. On average, a turtle remains at the center for at least 20 days.

On our last trip to Greece, the kids and I visited and became volunteers for the day at Archelon — the Sea Turtle Protection and Rescue Society of Greece located several miles outside Athens.

Of course, Greece has thousands of beautiful, romantic islands, and no one can claim to have properly seen the country if they haven’t visited Europe’s oldest metropolis Athens and the city’s ancient, storied attractions: the Acropolis, Parthenon, and Temple of Zeus.  Yet, what better way to visit Athens then by adding on a visit and volunteer session at Archelon.

via http://www.babble.com/travel/become-a-volunteer-at-a-sea-turtle-protection-center-in-athens-greece/

‘This brings butterfly kisses to a new level’: Incredible pictures show swarms of beautiful insects feeding off the tears of turtles in the Amazon

• Yellow Spotted River turtles covered in butterflies as they basked in the sun
• The butterflies need the salty liquid to survive and reproduce
• Bees have also been pictured drinking the tears of turtles in the wild

By Becky Evans PUBLISHED: 16:35, 23 May 2013 | UPDATED: 18:25, 23 May 2013

These are the incredible images of a turtle having its ‘tears’ wiped away – by a swarm of gentle butterflies.

The group of turtles can barely see for the vast number of butterflies that surround them as they bask in the Amazon sun.

The beautiful insects are actually drinking the tears of the Yellow Spotted River turtles.

Scroll down for video

Dozens of butterflies swarm around the yellow-spotted turtle’s face to drink its tears

 

The turtle appears to pull its head away as the orange and yellow butterflies take turns for a drink

 

The reptiles, pictured in the Amazon, were sunbathing to soak up enough energy to move

 VIDEO  Turtles react badly when bees try the same trick

  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2329671/Incredible-pictures-swarms-beautiful-insects-feeding-tears-turtles-Amazon.html

It is believed the salty liquid is needed to help them produce.

The unusual spectacle was spotted by friends Jeff Cremer, 34, and Phil Torres, 27, who run photography tours from Posada Amazonas, a rainforest lodge in Peru.

Mr Cremer, a wildlife photographer, and Mr Torres, a conservation biologist, were leading a group of tourists on a tour when they captured the amazing scene.

Mr Cremer said: ‘Finding this many butterflies on a turtle at once was a chance encounter, and an exciting one. It’s something I have been wanting to document for some time.

‘This isn’t very common in most areas of the tropics. This side of the Amazon, being so far from the Atlantic Ocean, lacks the availability of salt that other areas have.

‘So, odd behaviors pop up to likely accoItunt for this – including drinking the tears of turtles.’

The endangered yellow-spotted river turtle cannot easily brush the salty liquid away, while the insects need sodium in its diet.

In addition to sodium, tears also contain proteins that could represent a high-quality resource throughout the year.

The unusual spectacle was spotted by friends Jeff Cremer and Phil Torres who run tours around the area

 

The beautiful insects had a line of turtles to drink from as they sat on a log by the water

 

Butterflies have become specialised in tear-feeding, mainly on placid animals such as deer, crocodiles, turtles and sleeping birds.

Mr Cremer said it was unusual to see so many butterflies feeding off so few turtles.

He said: ‘While typically each turtle has only a few butterflies imbibing on its eyes at a time, these turtles may have been the only ones sunning in that area of the river so all of the butterflies swarmed on that resource.

‘The butterflies also tend to attract each other- if one butterfly is feeding, its bright colors invite other butterflies to that site to feed as well.

‘We thought it was hilarious. We’re used to one or two butterflies on a turtle which can make for a nice picture, but these turtles seem to be absolutely smothered in butterflies. This brings butterfly kisses to a new level.’

The turtles were basking in the sun to collect heat and energy for the day.

The butterflies get essential salts from the tears that they need to survive

The cold-blooded turtles were basking in the sun to collect heat and energy for the day

It is not the first time insects have been seen to feed off turtle tears.

French ecologist Dr Oliver Dangles captured a bee drinking the liquid from the same species of turtle in Yasuni National Park, in Ecuador.

However, Mr Cremer said the turtles do not seem to enjoy being fed from by bees.

He said: ‘Bees also feed on turtle eyes, which seem to really bother the turtles, but they don’t appear to mind having butterflies drink from them as much.

‘While some people have said that the turtle gets an eye cleaning in exchange, I don’t think that is very likely.

‘More likely is that this relationship is a form of commensalism, in which the butterfly benefits from the turtle, and the turtle isn’t really affected either way.

‘Butterflies in this area will do anything for salt- including drinking from your sweaty skin or backpack.

‘I’d even bet that if you laid out on one of those logs with your skin covered and your eyes open, you may get lucky enough and eventually have a swarm of colorful butterflies imbibing on your tears, too.’

A bee was previously caught on camera feeding from a turtle but Mr Cremer said the reptiles do not like it

via http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2329671/Incredible-pictures-swarms-beautiful-insects-feeding-tears-turtles-Amazon.html

Singing the turtles

 By Open Producer Peta Khan Thu 23 May 2013

You may have been to tennis camp, but have you ever been to turtle camp? Every year on the islands off Borroloola in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Sea Rangers hold a week-long ‘turtle camp’ where locals and tourists gather to monitor turtles while they nest.

Turtle camp is an annual pilgrimage for the li-Anthawirriyarra Sea Rangers and the traditional owners of the region, the Yanyua people. It is made each September-October when the sea turtles come to nest on the beaches in and around the Sir Edward Pellew Group of Islands.

Before they head back out to sea, the rangers measure and tag each turtle so they can monitor turtle numbers and health over a period of time.

In recent decades the sea turtles living in the seagrass beds and rocky flats around the islands have become increasingly endangered. Threats such as ghost nets and increasing numbers of feral predators like pigs and dogs have seriously reduced the turtle population in the area. With many of the turtle species now on the critically endangered list, turtle camp is becoming more important than ever.

Apart from monitoring the nesting turtles, this year a number of Sea Rangers were kept extra busy during camp learning a whole new set of skills from ABC Open Top End Producer Will Tinapple. Armed with iphones, DSLR cameras, a Go Pro and a few mics, the crew had a multimedia crash course and quickly got to work on their first assignment: documenting turtle camp and its meaning to the Yanyua people.

Wanting to share their stories and knowledge about the land and sea in this unique region of Australia, the Sea Rangers have also started up a new enterprise allowing tourists to come along to turtle camp. While the rangers set up tents and organise food for everyone, visitors help with the monitoring of the turtles and learn about the ranger group’s sustainable environmental practices for land and sea management. Sounds like a win-win situation to me!

Of course, it wouldn’t be camp if there wasn’t a lot of time for sitting around and having a yarn by the campfire at night. This time together as a community is important for the Yanyua people to pass on cultural knowledge to younger generations. It’s a time when local Laws are learnt like the Law for sea turtles (Wundunyukanu) which holds a special significance for the Yanyua people explaining how everything on land and sea is connected.

Writer Bob Gosford was one of the lucky tourists to visit turtle camp last year and he has written a great blog about his experiences at the camp and his understanding of the Law of Wundanyukawu.

Thanks to Will Tinapple, Sea Ranger Kurtly Harvey and the rest of the ranger crew for creating this great short film about turtle camp.

Special thanks must go to the beautiful soundtrack accompanying this film by Shellie Morris and the Borroloola Song Women from their album Ngambala Wiji li-Wunungu. Produced by Barkly Regional Arts.

via https://open.abc.net.au/posts/singing-the-turtles-58ab3oy

Turtles don’t come in Ahmedabad to nest anymore…

Thursday, May 23, 2013, 13:38 IST | Place: Ahmedabad | Agency: DNA Smitha R  

Illegal sand-mining, industrialisation robbing turtles of their nesting areas: Survey.

State’s rapid coastal development programme could very well sound the death knell for turtle nesting in Gujarat’s coastline, warn activists and scientists, working towards turtle conservation. Indiscriminate illegal sand mining, tourism, industrialisation and pollution are together forcing turtles to abandon several of their favourite nesting sites.

A case in point is the Alang shipyard and beaches on the coast of Amreli and Bhavnagar where turtle nesting has come to a cropper in the last decade. It should be noted that these places were favourite nesting sites for turtles but have now been abandoned by them.

“Due to the extreme pollution at Alang and construction of jetties and other industrial activities at Bhavnagar and Amreli, there are no nesting of turtles happening on these beaches. But there are records to show that over a decade and more ago, turtles did come to these places to lay eggs,” said Shwetal Shah, a scientist and resident of Bhavnagar, who has worked on various environmental issues including turtle conservation.

While turtle nesting has reduced in these areas, it increased marginally in beaches of Porbandar, Jamnagar, Junagadh and Kutch. “But overall, due to lack of any proper research on their numbers, we can safely assume that the population has remained stagnant,” said Shah. He however warned that it may dip in the coming years if illegal and indiscriminate sand mining, rapid industrialization and resulting pollution in the areas is not controlled.  He also stated that the mechanised fishing was another reason. “Though they are not the prime targets,  a large number of sea turtles get caught in the nets due to mechanized fishing, as a by-product. This also affects their numbers,” said Shah.

Dinesh Goswami of Prakruti Nature Club said that even natural changes like rocky beaches turning to sandy and vice-a-versa were also responsible. “A study carried out by us in association with various other governmental organisations in 2011-12, including the forest department, found that in two beaches of Amreli and three beaches of Bhavnagar, turtle nesting had stopped completely,” said Goswami. He blamed industrialisation, sand mining and tourism and pollution for the drop.

“Of the 5 beaches in Jamanagar, two showed a decline in nesting while in two others there was a marginal increase. For the rest it was stagnant,” he said.

Similar trends were witnessed in Probandar and Junagadh as well.

Shah however, pointed out that thanks to the conservation programme at the Marine National Park, the number of nesting had actually increased in the area.

A 2011-12 study found that turtle nesting had stopped completely in 2 Amreli & 3 Bhavnagar beaches — Dinesh Goswami

via http://www.dnaindia.com/ahmedabad/1838463/report-turtles-don-t-come-in-ahmedabad-to-nest-anymore

Protecting a Turtle Paradise in Indonesia

© WWF-Indonesia

Antipoaching patrol team helps marine turtle hatchlings make it back to the sea.

• Date: May 21, 2013
• Author: Molly Edmonds
• In This Story:
  • Oceans
  • Marine Turtle
  • Borneo and Sumatra
  • Green Turtle

Within Indonesia’s West Kalimantan province on the island of Borneo lies a long stretch of sandy beach that is very important to marine turtles. Thousands of endangered green and critically endangered hawksbill turtles come ashore and use this beach for nesting.

Despite the critical importance of this wildlife habitat, no protections exist, leaving the nesting activities completely vulnerable to beach traffic and coastal development. The biggest threat to the turtles, however, has been the decades of egg poaching by locals, who can turn a high profit from illegal trade across the border with Malaysia. In 2009 and 2010, WWF discovered that out of 2,146 nests, more than 95 percent were lost to poachers.

WWF Monitoring Efforts

Our monitoring efforts confirmed the seriousness of the poaching threat. In 2011 WWF started a local campaign to protect the turtle nests. We educated people about the problem with egg poaching and trained them on how to monitor nests themselves. As a result, 27 members of local villages came together to form an anti-poaching patrol team. They also received training from local law enforcement agencies.

At the end of the 2011 turtle nesting season, the rate of egg poaching had dropped significantly (to only 25 percent) and in 2012 it continued to decline. Such a reduction in poaching shows how effective the community patrol has been and the importance of involving the local community in conservation efforts. WWF will continue to support these beach patrol activities and work on obtaining protective status for the area.

via https://worldwildlife.org/stories/protecting-a-turtle-paradise-in-indonesia