ALABAMA Sea Turtle Conservation Manual

ALABAMA Sea Turtle Conservation Manual

Photo: Jim Allen

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Department of the Interior

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Table of Contents I.

Introduction…………………………………………………………... 3

II.

Status of sea turtles in Alabama…………………………………….. 6

III.

Sea turtle identification………………………………………………. 6

IV.

Nesting biology………………………………………………………... 12

V.

Nest searching (Patrols)……………………………………………… 14

VI.

Nest monitoring (Nest “sitting”)…………………………………….. 28

VII.

Excavations……………………………………………………………. 33

VIII. Sea turtle strandings………………………………………………….. 36 IX. How you can help sea turtles in Alabama…………….…………….. 37

Prepared by:

Department of Interior U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge Gulf Shores, AL March 2008

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I. Introduction On warm summer nights, sea turtles emerge from the Gulf of Mexico and crawl onto the sugar-white sand beaches of the Alabama coast to lay their eggs. These gentle, ancient reptiles depend on the availability of dark, quiet beaches to successfully nest and continue the cycle of life. Sea turtles represent some of the world's most imperiled marine animals. All species, with the exception of the flatback turtle (Natator depressus) of Australia, are listed as federally threatened or endangered by the United States and all species are protected by international treaty. In Alabama, as in many other coastal areas around the world, sea turtles face many threats to their existence including the development of prime nesting beaches, erosion caused by storms or nearby beach nourishment projects, and hazards in the marine environment such as commercial fishing gear, boats, and debris.

Loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings march to the Gulf of Mexico on the Fort Morgan Peninsula (Photo: Debi Gholson).

In 2001, volunteers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Daphne Ecological Services Field Office led an effort to establish a sea turtle monitoring program on private and public lands in Alabama. This effort was a response to widespread reports of sea turtle hatchlings that had become disoriented due to artificial lighting along State Highway 182 in the cities of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. As a result, Share the Beach, a program that currently has more than 200 volunteers, was born. The program is supported by a partnership of state, federal, and local agencies, private citizens, and environmental organizations. Principals include Gulf

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U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service State Park (Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources) (ADCNR), Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) (USFWS), Friends of Bon Secour NWR, ADCNR Coastal Section, Alabama Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Alabama Ecological Services Field Office (USFWS, Daphne, AL). In 2005, Share the Beach transitioned from a USFWS program to a program under the Friends of Bon Secour NWR, a nonprofit Refuge support group, and is currently responsible for all sea turtle monitoring on private lands. USFWS continues to monitor sea turtle nesting on Bon Secour NWR with assistance of Refuge volunteers, provides technical guidance to Share the Beach, administers the Alabama Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network, and develops monitoring protocols and training. Gulf State Park also has a lead role in the partnership by conducting sea turtle monitoring on its beaches and providing coordination, training, and outreach for Share the Beach.

Share the Beach volunteer kickoff meeting (USFWS photo)

The objectives of the Share the Beach Program are: 1.) To monitor sea turtle nests and hatchlings on the Alabama Gulf coast 2.) To mitigate human-related sea turtle mortality, especially the effects of artificial light pollution, by assisting hatchlings to the Gulf of Mexico through the presence of volunteers 3.) To promote the conservation of sea turtles in Alabama through public outreach and education

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Share the Beach Organizational Structure Share the Beach is a program of the Friends of Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge, a 501 3(c) nonprofit organization. Share the Beach partners with many federal, state, and local government agencies. The roles and responsibilities of program officers and partners are listed below. The Director should refer to the Recovery Permit for additional responsibilities. Share the Beach Director. The Director holds the federal endangered species recovery permit issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the entire Share the Beach program and all volunteers. The Director ensures that all federal protocols and requirements of the recovery permit are followed, including those outlined in this manual. The Director provides direct supervision to the volunteer Team Leaders. The Director also represents Share the Beach and conducts outreach and environmental education, which is an important part of the mission of the program. Team Leaders. There are currently 9 Team Leaders representing the geographic areas along the Alabama Gulf coast where sea turtle monitoring occurs. Team Leaders report to the Director and directly supervise volunteers for their respective areas. Each Team Leader ensures that the volunteers under their supervision follow all federal protocols and requirements of the recovery permit, including those outlined in this manual. Team Leaders may only authorize nest relocations, excavations, and other activities described in this manual under the authority of the Director, who may authorize or deny all activities as the federal permit holder. Volunteers. Volunteers report to the Team Leader for their geographic area. Each volunteer is responsible for following all federal protocols and requirements of the recovery permit, including those outlined in this manual. Volunteers may only engage in activities that involve the handling of sea turtles or eggs (nest relocations, hatchling releases, etc.) after consultation with their respective Team Leader. Program Advisors. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge and Alabama Ecological Services Field Office) biologists develop scientific protocols and provide oversight to the program through reviews of applications for endangered species recovery permits. Gulf State Park (Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources) also assists with training, administration, and scientific guidance for the program. In addition, Gulf State Park and Bon Secour NWR staff supervise Share the Beach volunteers while they are working on these public lands.

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Purpose of this Manual The purpose of this manual is to provide information, procedures, and guidance for sea turtle conservation activities in the State of Alabama. All sea turtle species that occur in Alabama are listed as Threatened or Endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. The activities described in this manual may only be carried out with the permission of USFWS under the supervision of a federal endangered species permit holder after receiving authorized training. The Share the Beach (STB) Director currently holds a federal permit for all sea turtle volunteers and supervises their activities.

II. Status of Sea Turtles in Alabama Two species of sea turtles have been confirmed nesting in Alabama. The loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) accounts for nearly all nests in the state each year. Statewide annual sea turtle nesting for loggerheads has ranged from 36-68 nests with an average of 53 nests over a 5-year period (2002-2006). There are 3 nesting records of the rare Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii), which were confirmed by hatchling identification in 2001 (Laguna Key), 2006 (Alabama Point, Gulf State Park), and 2007 (Bon Secour NWR). Two other records (Bon Secour NWR, 2003; Alabama Point, 2005) are suspected Kemp's ridley nests based on daytime nesting behavior and small crawl widths, however, both clutches were infertile and species identification could not be confirmed. Juvenile Kemp's ridleys are the most common sea turtles in the bays and estuaries of our inshore waters based on stranding records. Several other species occur along the Alabama Gulf Coast but are not known to nest in the state. While green turtle (Chelonia mydas) nests were reported in records prior to 2003, they were not confirmed by hatchling identification; however, green turtle strandings have been confirmed in Alabama. Adult leatherbacks (Dermochelys coriacea) have been documented by strandings and are regular visitors to our coast as they follow eruptions of jellyfish in the Gulf of Mexico. The possibility of a leatherback nest in Alabama exists each season due to the proximity of a confirmed nest in nearby Gulf Islands National Seashore, Florida, in 2000. The hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) may rarely occur off the coast of Alabama but its status in this area is unclear.

III. Sea Turtle Identification Sea turtles can be identified by the scutes of their carapace (upper shell) and plastron (lower shell), by the scales near their eyes, and by their overall coloration (see chart on page 7).

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Scutes used for species identification

costal (or lateral) nuchal

vertebral

marginal

carapace (upper shell)

inframarginal

plastron (lower shell)

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prefrontal scales

Location of prefrontal scales. Green turtles (shown here) have 1 pair; loggerheads and Kemp's ridleys have more than 1 pair.

Loggerhead (Caretta caretta) The loggerhead is our most common sea turtle in Alabama. ™ ™ ™ ™ ™ ™

Large head; weighs about 200 lbs. Heart-shaped, reddish-brown carapace Usually 5 costal (lateral) scutes 3 inframarginal scutes (no pores) More than 1 pair of prefrontal scales 1st costal scute touches nuchal scute (compare with green turtle)

Did You Know? Female loggerhead sea turtles nest 3-4 times each summer and then take a 2-3 year break before nesting again.

Juvenile loggerhead sea turtle along the beach near Gulf Shores, Alabama (Photo: Roger Reetz).

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Kemp's Ridley (Lepidochelys kempii)

Kemp's ridley sea turtle nesting at Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge (USFWS photo).

Rarest sea turtle in the world. Occasionally nests in Alabama and juveniles are common in area bays and estuaries. ™ ™ ™ ™ ™

Small; weighs about 100 lbs. Circular, olive (adult) or gray (juvenile) carapace 4 inframarginal scutes with pores More than 1 pair of prefrontal scales 1st costal scute touches nuchal scute

Did You Know? Kemp's ridleys nest during the day, sometimes by the thousands in groups called arribadas on their primary nesting beach at Rancho Nuevo, Mexico. Rathke’s Pores

Plastron of Kemp's ridley sea turtle showing pores on inframarginal scutes (USFWS photo).

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Leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) Not known to nest in the state but adults regularly forage along the Alabama Gulf Coast. ™ ™ ™

Largest sea turtle; weighs about 1000 lbs. Only species without a hard shell; no scutes Black carapace with ridges running longitudinally down shell

Did You Know? Leatherback sea turtles may dive to a depth of 1000 meters and will often swim thousands of kilometers in search of food.

Stranded leatherback sea turtle in the West Beach area of Gulf Shores, Alabama (USFWS photo).

Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) Occurs rarely along the Alabama Gulf Coast but has not been confirmed nesting in the state. ™ ™ ™ ™ ™

Greenish, smooth carapace in adults Largest of the hard-shelled sea turtles; weighs about 400 lbs. One pair of prefrontal scales Costal scutes do not touch nuchal scute (compare with loggerhead) 4 inframarginal scutes without pores

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Did You Know? Green turtles are not named for the color of their shell but for a greenish layer of fat. They are also the only sea turtles whose diet consists entirely of plants.

In the United States, the green turtle nests primarily in central and south Florida (USFWS photo).

Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) May rarely occur in Alabama waters but has not been documented. ™ ™ ™ ™ ™

Overlapping scutes; weighs about 300 lbs. Ornate, "tortoise-shell" coloration Rear edge of shell serrated 4 inframarginal scutes without pores 2 pairs of prefrontal scales

Did You Know? Hawksbills mainly eat sponges found along coral reefs.

The tropical nesting hawksbill turtle (photo: George Balazs NMFS).

IV. Nesting Biology Female sea turtles often return to nest on the beaches where they hatched decades earlier. This tendency, known as natal beach homing, highlights the importance of successful reproduction for local nesting populations of sea turtles, such as those along the Alabama ALABAMA SEA TURTLE CONSERVATION MANUAL

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U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Gulf Coast, since nest failures could lead to the reduction or extirpation of sea turtles from an area many years later. Sea turtles also generally exhibit strong nest site fidelity, which is the practice of females returning to the same beach (±5 km) to renest in a given season. The sex of sea turtle hatchlings is determined entirely by the temperatures during their incubation. This phenomenon, known as temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD), has been documented in many species of reptiles including alligators, freshwater turtles, and lizards. Cooler temperatures promote the development of more males in a clutch while warmer temperatures promote the development of more females. As a result, manipulation of nests, such as relocations, can affect the sex ratios of hatchlings (see also Nest Relocations section on page 25). The factors that influence nest site selection by loggerhead sea turtles are not well understood. It is known that females will generally choose beaches that have steep slopes with gradual approaches, some component of dry sand, are located above the high tide line, and are relatively free of debris. Research has shown that artificial lights can deter sea turtles from nesting. Recreational items on the beach (chairs, coolers, tents, etc.) can also discourage a female from nesting or even cause injury.

Loggerhead sea turtle after nesting in Gulf Shores, Alabama (photo: Kelly Reetz, Gulf State Park).

Loggerhead sea turtles deposit an average of about 110 eggs, which will incubate for about 60 days, depending on temperature (warmer temperatures = shorter incubation periods). On average, a female loggerhead will nest 3-4 times per season, spaced 2 weeks apart, and will nest again 2-3 years later.

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U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service It is a common misconception that sea turtle hatchlings are able to locate the water by following the moonlight. In reality, sea-finding behavior in sea turtles is much more complex. Research has shown that shapes and silhouettes also affect the ability of hatchlings to find the ocean (with a tendency to crawl away from dunes, for example). Natural light is important primarily within a "cone of acceptance" located near the horizon. As a result, moonrise may have little or no direct effect on the hatchling. In any case, it is clear that artificial lighting, such as streetlights and porch lights, completely overwhelms these natural cues and causes hatchling disorientation and death.

Did You Know? Research has shown that sea turtles can migrate across the open ocean by sensing the Earth's magnetism—they have a built-in compass!

Loggerhead sea turtle hatchling takes its first swim in the Gulf of Mexico along the Alabama coast (photo: Roger Reetz).

V. Nest Searching (Patrols) The safety of volunteers and employees is first priority. Leave the beach when you hear thunder or see lightning. Avoid being on the beach alone after dark.

Getting Started To become a sea turtle volunteer, you must first sign up and attend a training session for your beach (see How to Volunteer on page 40). You will work under the supervision of the Team Leader (volunteer coordinator) for your beach, who will provide you with training, contact information, supplies, and a volunteer schedule. As a Share the Beach volunteer, you will usually walk a 1-2 mile stretch of beach looking for sea turtle tracks. Once you find tracks on the beach, you will contact your Team Leader to obtain supplies

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and further instructions. Additional information will be provided at your on-the-beach training with your Team Leader before your first patrol.

How to Find and Identify Sea Turtle Tracks Sea turtles essentially spend their entire lives in the ocean. Males never leave the sea once they enter it as hatchlings. Female sea turtles only return to the beach for about one hour each time they nest. Nearly all sea turtle nesting occurs at night. Since we normally do not see the female as she emerges from the Gulf, we are left only with the evidence that we find the following morning—her tracks in the sand. These tracks, often called "crawls," can provide information about her species and size, problems that she may have encountered on the beach, and can help us to determine whether or not she deposited eggs. During your training session, you will watch an excellent video produced by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, A Beachcomber's Guide to Turtle Tracks. In this manual, we will only highlight some of the more important characteristics of tracks for each species and provide clues to help you determine whether you have found a nest or a false crawl. The species of sea turtle that nested on the beach should be confirmed through hatchling identification. However, the tracks can give us clues about the species so that, for example, we can be prepared to carefully document the nest of a rare species at hatching. Also, if the nest is infertile then the tracks will be the only evidence that we have so good notes and photographs are essential. Below are some typical characteristics of the possible nesting species in Alabama (in the order of most common to rarest). Please note that more than one characteristic should be used for identification.

Crawl Identification Loggerhead ™ Crawl about 3 feet wide (from outside flipper mark to outside flipper mark; measurements at multiple locations may be necessary) ™ Alternating (or asymmetrical) tracks ™ Comma-shaped marks in the crawl

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Loggerhead sea turtle nest on the Fort Morgan Peninsula (USFWS photo).

The asymmetrical (alternating) tracks of a loggerhead sea turtle. Note that the flipper marks are not directly across from each other (USFWS photo).

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The direction of this loggerhead crawl can be determined by the backstop of sand pushed behind by the flippers (USFWS photo).

Kemp's Ridley ™

™ ™

Daytime nesting behavior (usually in the afternoon) NOTE: If you observe a sea turtle nesting during the day, be sure to take photos. You should wait until the turtle has finished nesting before you approach. Call your Team Leader, mark a large area near the location where the turtle was digging, and keep the public away. Small crawl width (usually