Two live hatchlings were observed on their way from the beach to the water, and 53 other “crawls” — the lines that indicate more turtles have moved through the sand — were documented. The hatchlings were identified as Kemp’s ridley sea turtles, which are endangered. The crawls indicated to officials that loggerhead sea turtles, currently considered a threatened species, were also present.
Organizations have attributed the return of the tiny turtles to their conservation efforts.
“Louisiana was largely written off as a nesting spot for sea turtles decades ago, but this determination demonstrates why barrier island restoration is so important,” said CRPA Chairman Chip Klinein a release.
“As we develop and implement projects statewide, we are always keeping in mind what’s needed to preserve our communities and enhance wildlife habitat” Kline continued. “Having this knowledge now allows us to make sure these turtles and other wildlife return to our shores year after year.”
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Leopoldo Miranda-Castro, Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) said they have worked hard with partners “to restore wildlife and habitat in the Gulf of Mexico since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill through planning and implementing numerous projects, including on the Chandeleur Islands.”
“The discovery of sea turtles nesting and successfully hatching is a huge step forward demonstrating the amazing resilience of fish and wildlife resources, including threatened and endangered species, and the importance of restoring these barrier islands to protect humans and nature,” Miranda-Castro saidin a news release.
Kemp’s ridley turtles are tiny for their species, only growing to about two feet in length,according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.It is one of several turtle species known to congregate in the area, where the creatures feed on marine seagrass meadows.
Officials saidadditional nests may be discovered, as the peak of nesting season is June through July.
Solangi believes the discovery of the nest is a positive indicator forsea turtles, especially following the BP Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill in 2010.
“After all the environmental disasters we’ve had, this is a good sign. When (turtle populations) have gone down, it means the ecosystem that supports them is having difficulty,” Solangi told theSun Herald. “When animals start breeding, it means things have started to get better.”
source: people.com
