Turn Turtle

My hat's off to the Broward County Sea Turtle Conservation Program. All along the Broward coastline turtles are being saved from extinction by a dedicated group of marine biologists and student volunteers. Every night from about the end of February thru until September female turtles come ashore to dig pits in the sand with their flippers and deposit their eggs. Once they've laid their eggs they never return, and the male turtle never leaves the ocean to set foot on the sand. The newly hatched babies have to fend for themselves, talk about a lack a parental guidance! Now if the eggs are deposited on the beach in an exposed location where they will be in danger of being disturbed or destroyed the biologists relocate them to safer locations.
Four species of Turtles nest on the local beaches, the most common being the Loggerhead, followed by the Hawksbill, Green and Leatherback. All are either endangered of threatened and are protected by law in Florida. The penalties for messing with adults, eggs or hatchlings are very severe. The best advice is to stay off the beach at night, what would you be doing there anyway?
Mother Nature has a way of balancing the various ocean species, and a change in population of one specie either by over fishing of through pollution has a profound effect on other species. The favorite food of the turtle is Jelly fish, and with the decline in the numbers of turtles there has been a huge increase in the numbers of Jelly fish in the ocean, which causes problems for commercial fishermen and swimmers.

For additional information visit........ www.nova.edu/ocean/seaturtles.

If you want help with this preservation program, buy a Turtle Tag license plate next time you register your vehicle.