Sea Turtle Migration-Tracking & Coastal Habitat Education Program

An Educator's Guide with information about sea turtle natural history, coastal habitat ecology, high technology research and conservation efforts to protect sea turtles and their habitats. Prepared by

A program of Caribbean Conservation Corp. 4424 NW 13th Street, Suite A-1, Gainesville, Florida 32609 (352) 373-6441 FAX (352) 375-2449 E-mail: [email protected] Web Page: http://www.cccturtle.org Acknowledgments

This booklet has been prepared by the Sea Turtle Survival League (STSL), a program of the non- profit Caribbean Conservation Corporation (CCC), with funding provided by Project AWARE Founda- tion, Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Florida Council on Environmental Education, Orinoco Founda- tion, The Educational Foundation of America, Kenneth A. Scott Charitable Trust, Elizabeth Ordway Dunn Foundation, Conservation Education Foundation and the Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund. This guide expands on the original Educator's Guide for the Sea Turtle Migration-Tracking Education Program.

Special thanks go to CCC staff and volunteers for helping gather information and materials for this booklet. Brief excerpts from "Florida's Sea Turtles," a booklet produced by Florida Power and Light Company, were used in this booklet.

We especially want to thank Gayle Nelson Evans for help with developing and writing the lesson plans and activities, Dr. Arthur J. Lewis for providing comments on the educational curriculum portion of this booklet, Dr. Anne Meylen (Florida Marine Research Institute) and Paul Tritaik (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) for providing comments on the sea turtle and coastal habitat portions of the booklet, Dr. Llew Ehrhart (University of Central Florida), Barbara Schroeder (National Marine Fisheries Service), Sandy MacPherson (United States Fish and Wildlife Service), Dave Nelson (Waterways Experimental Station, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers), Wallace Nickols (University of Arizona), Emma Hickerson (Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) and Sally Murphy (South Carolina Department of Natural Resources) for allowing data from their satel- lite-tracking research on sea turtles to be made available to the public on the STSL's web page.

Edited by Daniel Evans & David Godfrey

8 2004, Caribbean Conservation Corporation THIRD EDITION

Most artwork in this Guide was hand-drawn by Deirdre Hyde. Several images were created by Dan Evans, David Godfrey, Susan Marynowski, Jeanne Mortimer, Amy Breeze, Caroline Reiners and Gayle Evans. The sea turtle size comparison on Page 7 was adapted from one prepared by Earth Island Institute. The coastal community diagram on Page 21 was adapted from one prepared by the Environmentally Endangered Lands Program of Brevard county.

Text and artwork may be copied for educational purposes only and must include reference to Caribbean Conservation Corp. as the source. TO: Educators FROM: Daniel Evans, Outreach Coordinator RE: Your Educator’s Guide

I am pleased to provide you with a free copy of the Sea Turtle Survival League's Educator’s Guide, which was developed for participants in the Sea Turtle Migration-Tracking Education Program. This edition of the Guide can be used as a reference to teach sea turtle biology, coastal ecology and marine conservation.

The Sea Turtle Survival League is now offering a special Classroom Adoption Kit for a donation of only $20!!! This is a new reduced membership rate especailly for educators! The Class- room Adoption Kit includes a certificate of adoption with your class’ name, the name of the turtle, a color image of the turtle and background information about the turtle. You will also receive a sea turtle fact sheet, satellite tracking background information sheet, a colorful sea turtle poster and a subscription to our quarterly newsletter, the Velador.

I invite you and your students to get involved with helping sea turtles survive and taking a personal interest in sea turtle conservation by “adopting” a sea turtle. The Adopt-A-Turtle program is a way to support the vital work of the Sea Turtle Survival League, so please consider adopting a turtle for your class or making a donation on behalf of your class so the Sea Turtle Survival League can continue to make a difference! You can fill out and mail in the form at the back of this Guide or you can call us at 1-800-678-7853 or visit our web site at http://www.cccturtle.org/class_adopt.htm.

In the Guide, you will find everything you need, from background material to lesson plans, to begin teaching your students about sea turtle biology, navigation and migration, the threats sea turtles face and what must be done to protect them, as well as new material on coastal ecology and protec- tion. You can access the Sea Turtle Survival League’s web site (http://www.cccturtle.org) to find maps showing the satellite-tracked migration of endangered sea turtles and photos of a satellite transmitter being attached to a sea turtle (follow the “Sea Turtle Tracking Education Program” link). There are also self grading quizzes with questions about both sea turtles and coastal habitats, video clips, and educational puzzles and games (follow the “Learn About Sea Turtles” link). You will also find an electronic Bulletin Board where your students can post questions to researchers and our staff. If you do not have access to the World Wide Web, you can send written questions to me at the address below. Researchers and staff will do their best to answer all questions submitted.

At the back of the Educator’s Guide is an Evaluation Form we hope you will complete and return. You will also find a form you can use to order more Guides, Adopt-A-Turtle or order other educa- tional materials. Thanks for your interest in sea turtles and we hope you enjoy the program!

Daniel R Evans Table of Contents

A Word to Educators ...... Page 1 Caribbean Conservation Corp. & Sea Turtle Survival League ...... Pages 2-3 Sea Turtles: A Brief Overview ...... Pages 4-5 What is Extinction? ...... Page 5 Differences Between the Species ...... Pages 6-7 The Five Species Found in U.S. Waters ...... Pages 8-9 Scientific Classification ...... Page 10 Behavior Patterns ...... Page 11 Nesting, Incubation and Emergence ...... Pages 12-13 Migration and Navigation Abilities ...... Pages 14-15 Threats to Their Survival ...... Pages 16-17 Conservation Strategies ...... Pages 18-19 What to Do If You Encounter a Nesting Sea Turtle ...... Page 19 Coastal Habitats: Florida's Coastal Communities ...... Pages 20-22 Threats to Coastal Communities ...... Page 23 Protecting Beach and Dune Ecosystems ...... Pages 24-25 Getting Involved: What You Can Do To Get Involved ...... Page 26 Tips For Writing Letters to Decision-Makers ...... Page 26 Classroom Resources: Activity Ideas ...... Pages 27-28 Lesson Plans ...... Pages 29-32 Quizzes ...... Pages 33-34 Worksheets...... Pages 35-38 Glossary of Terms ...... Page 39 Catalogue of Educational Materials About Sea Turtles ...... Page 40 Order Form to Adopt-A-Turtle or to Request Educational Material ...... Page 41 Evaluation Form ...... Page 42 ea turtles are some of the most mysterious and time-honored creatures on earth. The Sea Turtle Survival League (STSL), through its educational programs and S conservation initiatives, is helping ensure the gentle sea turtle remains a wild and thriving part of the natural landscape. The most serious threats to sea turtle survival are directly caused by the actions of people. The same is true for many animal species now listed as endangered or threat- ened. It is also true that as humans we have the unique ability to learn about how we are affecting the world around us and to change our behavior accordingly. Education is the key. The Sea Turtle & Coastal Habitat Education Program (Program) is designed to capture the interest of young minds in issues surrounding sea turtles, coastal habitats and cutting edge research techniques. This Program can harness their interest, and in the process, teach them about sea turtle biology, coastal habitat ecology, the threats both sea turtles and coastal habitats face, how they can get involved in conservation and take personal responsibility for their actions through the activities, lesson plans and a host of related scientific and geographic topics. This Educator's Guide will provide the background information you need to incorpo- rate the Program into your classroom activities. The Guide is designed so you can easily photocopy each section for use as a handout, and we have included ideas for classroom activities, lesson plans and worksheets for both primary and secondary levels. You will find activities that incorporate art, math, geography, political science, writing and biology. A portion of this Program allows students to actually watch the movements of sea turtles on the Internet, but this Guide can help you teach students about sea turtles even if you don't have access to the World Wide Web at school. Through our Web Site (http://www.cccturtle.org), you can view maps depicting the migratory movements of sea turtles tracked by satellite. At time of printing, September 1999, the movements of ten turtles are being shown on regularly updated maps. The Web Site also provides Action Alerts to inform kids about the most current issues affecting sea turtles or coastal habitats and how they can personally get involved. Researchers and the STSL will respond to questions and comments posted to an electronic bulletin board on the Web Site by your students. As a way for students to take a personal interest in one of the satellite-tracked turtles, and as a way to support sea turtle conservation, we invite your class to "adopt" a turtle. Several classes will likely adopt each of the satellite tracked turtles, whose names have already been given. If you want to be the sole adoptive class of a green turtle and name the turtle yourselves, you can choose to adopt one we have tagged while nesting in Costa Rica. You can use the form on Page 42 of this Guide or order right from our Web Page. This is the second edition of the Florida Educator's Guide. As you use it in the class- room, we encourage you to take note of any ideas you have about how we can improve its usefulness. An Evaluation Form can be found at the end of the Guide, which we hope

you will complete and return to us with your ideas. A Word To Educators To Word A

Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide Page 1 &

A Brief History and Summary of Activities

Caribbean Conservation Corporation (CCC) on Caribbean sea turtles. He called the book "just was founded in 1959 to support the work of a compulsive recounting of the things I saw world-renowned naturalist and sea turtle biologist and pondered." But something about his stories Dr. Archie Carr. Dr. Carr's ability to communicate of these magnificent creatures and their fight for his enthusiasm for the natural world in award- survival deeply touched Joshua B. Powers, a New winning prose in- York publisher's spired the formation representative. The of this organization, CCC's mission is to Windward Road so now going into its moved Powers to try fourth decade. Dedi- protect endangered sea turtles to help save the sea cated to upholding turtles that he sent Archie's ideals, CCC's and their habitats through copies of the book to mission is to protect research, education, advocacy 20 friends with an endangered sea turtles invitation to join a and their habitats and protection of natural areas. new organization, the through research, Brotherhood of the education, advocacy Green Turtle. and protection of natural areas. Under the guidance of John H. Phipps, In the early 1950s, Archie became fascinated Archie's longtime friend and benefactor, the with the enigmatic and little-known sea turtle. Brotherhood incorporated as Caribbean Conser- He searched throughout the Caribbean for clues vation Corporation in 1959. In the decades to to their life history and biology. His wanderings follow, CCC, through its research and conserva- took him to the black sand beach of Tortuguero, tion initiatives, very likely saved the Caribbean a remote 22-mile beach on the northeast coast of green turtle from immediate extinction. Costa Rica. Archie quickly realized that The organization's primary focus was to Tortuguero ("place of turtles" in Spanish) was a support Archie's groundbreaking research in globally important nesting beach for green turtles. Tortuguero, where he was applying metal tags to But while the turtles were coming up on the nesting green turtles to learn about their repro- beach in large numbers, so were the poachers. ductive behavior and migratory patterns. Archie The turtles were being killed and their freshly laid and CCC set up a makeshift research station to eggs were taken. Archie knew that this rookery study the nesting green turtle population. Every would soon be hunted to extinction, just as had year, Archie, his family, students and trusted happened to many others in the Caribbean. CCC colleagues would make this rustic outpost When Archie's now-classic book, The Wind- their summer home. With a fickle generator and ward Road, was published in 1956, he had no way cold running water their only luxuries, they set of knowing the impact his reflections would have out to learn what they could about the turtles.

Page 2 Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide The Green Turtle Tagging and Monitoring displays and programs on sea turtle biology and Program was revealing astonishing facts about sea natural history, educates the 40,000 tourists who turtles. In fact, much of what is known about their come to Tortuguero every year. The Station life history was revealed in this study. During his represents the fulfillment of Archie Carr's vision to 28-year tenure as CCC's Technical Director, preserve the surrounding ecologically diverse area Archie diligently studied the turtles and advo- through a year-round scientific presence. cated for their protection. He became the world's Not only does CCC carry out a variety of leading authority on their life history and biology. research initiatives in the region, it offers people He wrote hundreds of articles, research papers and around the world the opportunity to join CCC in eleven books on natural history. Tortuguero as a Research Participant in either the Archie passed away in 1987, but the research Sea Turtle Programs or the Tropical Bird Program. he began is still being carried out by CCC, and Sea Turtle Survival League has become the longest ongoing research of its kind in the world. The Sea Turtle Survival League (STSL) is the In 1993, CCC established the Sea Turtle United States-based education, advocacy and Survival League (STSL), a network of experts, membership arm of the CCC. The STSL regularly conservationists and members, in an effort to provides testimony to Congress, federal agencies begin addressing the threats facing marine turtles and state officials on issues affecting sea turtles and in the United States. The STSL has quickly their habitat. The League closely monitors become a well-respected entity that works tire- numerous issues related to the survival of sea lessly on behalf of sea turtles by educating the turtles and informs conservationists, the media public, teachers, policy-makers and the media and STSL members about steps that should be about the threats turtles face and how best to taken to ensure sea turtle survival. Through protect them. educational initiatives, such as the Florida Sea Today, Caribbean Conservation Corporation Turtle and Coastal Habitat Education Program, and its Sea Turtle Survival League are regarded as the STSL is reaching the public, especially leaders in the international effort to conserve sea children, with accurate and timely information turtles. Archie Carr's ideals and mission still guide that will help them become informed about sea the organization as it strives to ensure a future turtle conservation. for marine turtles on the planet. Multi-National Collaboration All of the projects currently sponsored by CCC come Because sea turtles are so migratory, protect- under one of the following program initiatives: ing them requires a multi-national effort. The three Central American countries of Nicaragua, Tortuguero Biological Field Station Panama and Costa Rica have especially rich The stronghold of CCC's Caribbean opera- turtle resources and harbor critical feeding and tions and the cornerstone of our research activi- nesting habitat. Unfortunately, sea turtles in ties, Tortuguero, Costa Rica, is the site of our these regions face enormous pressures from ongoing Turtle Tagging and Monitoring Program. growing coastal populations and high levels of Begun by our founding director Archie Carr in turtle hunting and egg poaching. 1954, this world-famous research has spawned CCC envisions a cooperative effort by the hundreds of studies and scientific papers. three neighboring countries in which coastal In 1994, CCC opened the new John H. refuges and protected areas would be linked into a Phipps Biological Field Station and H. Clay Frick "blueway" protecting important foraging, mating Natural History Visitors Center in Tortuguero. and nesting areas for sea turtles. This cooperative The station houses ever-growing numbers of effort, dubbed the Tripartite Agreement, is on the researchers studying the area's diverse species and horizon, and Caribbean Conservation is actively ecosystems. The Visitors Center, which houses working to make it a reality.

Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide Page 3 Sea Turtles: A Brief Overview ea turtles are large, air- Turtles and Humans suited to their particular diet. breathing reptiles that They do not have visible ears S inhabit tropical and Sea turtles have long fasci- but have eardrums covered by subtropical seas throughout the nated people and have figured skin. They hear best at low world. Their streamlined bodies prominently in the mythology frequencies, and their sense of and large flippers make them and folklore of many cultures. smell is excellent. Their vision remarkably adapted to life at In the Miskito Cays off the underwater is good, but they are sea. However, sea turtles eastern coast of nearsighted out maintain close ties to land. Nicaragua, the of water. Females must come ashore to story of a kind lay their eggs in the sand; “Turtle Mother,” therefore, all sea turtles begin still lingers. their lives as tiny hatchlings on Unfortunately, land. the spiritual Research on marine turtles significance of sea has uncovered many facts about turtles has not these ancient creatures. Most saved them of this research has been fo- from being cused on nesting females and exploited for hatchlings emerging from the both food and nest, largely because they are for profit. the easiest to find and study. Millions of sea Thousands of sea turtles around turtles once roamed the earth’s the world have been tagged to Reproduction help collect information about oceans, but now only a fraction their growth rates, reproductive remain. Only females come ashore to cycles and migration routes. nest; males rarely return to land After decades of studying sea General Description after crawling into the sea as turtles, much has been learned. Each species of sea turtle hatchlings. Most females return However, many mysteries still looks and behaves distinctly, but to nest on the beach where they remain. New technologies, they do have several common were born (natal beach). Nest- such as satellite telemetry, are characteristics. Their shells ing seasons occur at different allowing scientists to monitor consist of an upper part (cara- times around the world. In the turtles throughout their range. pace) and a lower section U.S., nesting occurs from April The information gathered (plastron). Hard scales (or through October. Most females through satellite-tracking scutes) cover all but the leather- nest at least twice during each should answer many questions back turtle, and the number and mating season; some may nest and help conservation groups arrangement of these scutes can up to ten times in a season. A like the Sea Turtle Survival be used to determine the species. female will not nest in consecu- League develop better strategies They do not have teeth, but tive years, typically skipping one for protecting sea turtles. their jaws have modified "beaks" or two years before returning.

Page 4 Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide Growth & Development What is Extinction and Why Should Researchers do not yet know how long baby turtles spend in You Care If Sea Turtles Go Extinct? the open sea, or exactly where A plant or animal becomes extinct when the last living they go. It is theorized that they individual of its species dies, causing it to vanish from the earth spend their earliest, most vulner- forever. If there is ever a time when the last green turtle on earth able years floating around the dies, then never again will this magnificent creature grace our sea in giant beds of sargasso world. weeds, where they do little more Species have been going extinct for millions of years; it is a than eat and grow. Once turtles natural part of the evolutionary process. For example, most of reach dinner-plate size, they the species that existed during the time of dinosaurs have perished. appear at feeding grounds in Many probably went extinct because of sudden geological or nearshore waters. They grow climatic changes -- possibly because of a large volcanic eruption slowly and take between 15 and or because of a giant meteor hitting the earth. 50 years to reach reproductive Today, however, species are going extinct because of abrupt maturity, depending on the changes brought about by humans. Habitat destruction, pollution species. There is no way to and overconsumption are causing species to decline at a rate determine the age of a sea turtle never before seen in history. This loss of species is eroding the from its physical appearance. It diversity of life on earth, and a loss of diversity can make all life is theorized that some species vulnerable. can live more than 100 years. Much can be learned about the condition of the planet's Status of the Species environment by looking at sea turtles. They have existed for over 100 million years, and they travel throughout the world's oceans. The earliest known sea turtle Suddenly, however, they are struggling to survive -- largely fossils are about 110 million because of things people are doing to the planet's oceans and years old. In groups too numer- beaches. But what does this mean for the human species? ous to count, they once navi- It is possible that a world in which sea turtles cannot survive gated throughout the world's may soon become a world in which humans struggle to survive. oceans. But in just the past 100 If, however, we learn from our mistakes and begin changing our years, demand for turtle meat, behavior, there is still time to save sea turtles from extinction. In eggs, skin and colorful shells has the process, we will be saving one of the earth's most mysterious reduced their numbers. Destruc- and time-honored creatures. We might just be saving ourselves tion of feeding and nesting too. habitats and pollution of the world’s oceans are all taking a How You Can Help affect sea turtles almost every serious toll on remaining sea day. As an informed citizen, you There are many things each turtle populations. Many have the power to influence the of us can do to help sea turtles breeding populations have outcome of these issues by survive. First, we must remem- already become extinct, and making your voice heard. Third, ber that we share the oceans entire species are being wiped take personal responsibility for and the beaches with many out. There could be a time in your actions. By simply reducing other species. Second, become the near future when sea turtles the amount of plastic garbage, informed about the things that are just an oddity found only in using biodegradable chemicals are killing sea turtles or destroy- aquariums and natural history and not leaving trash on the ing their habitat. Elected museums — unless action is beach when you leave, you can officials and other leaders are taken today. help save sea turtles and protect making decision on issues that Florida's coastal habitats.

Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide Page 5 Sea Turtles: Differences Between the Species Sea Turtle Names its name is a mystery. No one is carnivorous and feed mostly on sure why it is called “ridley.” shellfish that live on the bottom Each sea turtle has both a Some think turtle researcher of the ocean. They eat horse- scientific name and a common Dr. Archie Carr was the one shoe crabs, clams, mussels, and name. The scientific name who named it “ridley.” The other invertebrates. Their identifies the genus and species, name “ridley” might be short for powerful jaw muscles help them and the common name typically the word “riddle” or “riddler.” easily crush the shellfish. describes some characteristic of The ridley would have gotten Kemp’s ridleys and olive the turtle's body. The logger- that name because it was like a ridleys are also carnivorous. head, for example, gets its name riddle to researchers. It was Like loggerheads, the ridleys from its exceptionally large hard for them to figure out have powerful jaws that help head. The hawksbill turtle gets where the turtle came from and them crush and grind crabs, its name because its narrow head what its breeding habits were. clams, mussels, and shrimp. and large beak make it look like They also like to eat fish, sea a hawk. The Australian Appearance urchins, squid and jellyfish. flatback gets its name because its Unlike loggerheads, Kemp’s shell is very flat. The leather- Sea turtles come in many ridleys, and olive ridleys, leath- back is the only sea turtle different sizes, shapes and colors. erbacks have delicate, scissor- without a hard shell. It is The olive ridley is usually less like jaws. Their jaws would be named leatherback because its than 100 pounds, while the damaged by anything other than shell is made of a layer of thin, leatherback typically ranges from a diet of soft-bodied animals. tough, rubbery skin that looks 650 to 1,300 pounds! The Leatherbacks feed almost exclu- like leather. upper shell, or carapace, of each sively on jellyfish. Other turtles are named for sea turtle species ranges in The diets of green turtles colors on their bodies. The shell length, color, shape and ar- and black turtles change signifi- of the black turtle is dark gray or rangement of scales. cantly during their lives. Young black, and the shell of the olive green and black turtles eat a ridley is olive green. The green What They Eat variety of food. Their diets may turtle is a little bit trickier. You Different species of sea include worms, young crusta- might think the shell of a green turtles like to eat different kinds ceans and insects, as well as turtle would be green, but it’s of food. Sea turtles have mouths grasses and algae. not. It can have a black, gray, and jaws that are specially When green turtles reach 8 or brown shell. The green turtle formed to help them eat the to 10 inches in length, their is actually named for the green foods they like. diets change. Adult green and color of the fat under its shell. The hawksbill has a narrow black turtles are the only sea Last but not least is the head and jaws shaped like a turtles that are strictly herbivo- Kemp’s ridley. This turtle’s first beak. This allows the hawksbill rous. They mostly eat sea grass name, “Kemp’s,” was given to it to get food from crevices in coral and algae. Their jaws are finely because a man named Richard reefs. They eat sponges, anemo- serrated which aids them in Kemp helped discover and study nes, squid and shrimp. tearing vegetation. The the turtle. The second part of Loggerheads are primarily

Page 6 Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide Australian flatback apparently Green turtles are found in sandy and muddy bottoms. eats sea cucumbers, jellyfish, all temperate and tropical Olive ridleys live in tropical mollusks, prawns, bryozoans, waters, including those near regions of the Pacific, Indian and other invertebrates, as well Central America, the Bahamas, and Atlantic Oceans. They as seaweed. and the U.S. They mainly stay typically forage off shore in near the coastline and around surface waters or dive to depths Habitat Preferences islands. Black turtles are found of 500 feet (150 m) to feed on Each species of sea turtle along the west coasts of North, bottom dwelling crustaceans. eats, sleeps, mates and swims in Central and South America, Flatbacks have the most distinctly different areas. Some- from central Baja California to restricted range of all sea turtle times their habitats overlap, but Peru. They mostly live in bays species. Their range is limited to for the most part they each have and protected shores. Rarely are the coastal waters of the north- different preferences. they observed in the open western, northern and north- Loggerheads can be found ocean. eastern regions of Australia. in temperate and subtropical Hawksbills are considered Flatbacks do not venture be- waters throughout most of the the most tropical of all sea yond Australia’s continental world. Adults usually stay close turtles. They are typically found shelf; they prefer turbid inshore to mainland shores. They prefer around coastal reefs, rocky areas, waters and bays. to feed in coastal bays and estuaries and lagoons of the Leatherbacks are the most estuaries, as well as in the tropical and subtropical Atlan- widely distributed of all sea shallow water along the conti- tic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. turtles. They are primarily nental shelves of the Atlantic, The range of the adult found in the open ocean, as far Pacific and Indian Oceans. Kemp’s ridley is mostly limited north as Alaska and as far south Loggerheads inhabit an enor- to the Gulf of Mexico. Juveniles as the southern tip of Africa. mous range from north to south. range between tropical and Leatherbacks are known to be In the western hemisphere they temperate coastal areas of the active in water below 40 degrees are found as far north as New- northwest Atlantic Ocean and Fahrenheit, the only reptile foundland and as far south as can be found up and down the known to remain active at such Argentina. east coast of the United States. a low temperature. They prefer shallow areas with Sea Turtles Found in U.S. Waters -- A Size Comparison Feet 0' 0' 1' 1' 2' 2' 3' 3' 4' 4' 5' 5' 6' 6' 7' 7' 8' 8' 9' 9' Adult Human Kemp's ridley Hawksbill Loggerhead Green Turtle Leatherback

Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide Page 7 Sea Turtles: The Five Species Found in U.S. Waters

ost scientists recognize Loggerheads lay eggs at green turtles that nest in Florida seven living species of intervals of 2, 3, or more years. average more than three feet in M sea turtles, which are Nesting season runs from May carapace length, and average grouped into six genera. The through September in the U.S. about 300 pounds in weight. five species regularly found in They lay 4 to 7 nests per season, The largest green turtle ever U.S. waters are described below: approximately 14 days apart. found was 5 feet in length and The average number of eggs in 871 pounds. Loggerhead each clutch ranges from 100 to Green turtles nest at inter- (Caretta caretta) 126, and the eggs incubate for Of all the sea turtles that about 60 days. Loggerhead nest in the United States, the nesting is concentrated in two loggerhead is the one seen most main areas of the world -- at often. While all other species Masirah Island, Oman, in the found near the U.S. coastline middle east and on the coast of are listed as endangered, the the southeastern United States. loggerhead is classified as The Masirah Island's annual threatened. This means logger- nesting population is about Green turtle nesting heads are more numerous than 30,000 females, while up to the other species, but they are 25,000 loggerheads nest in the vals of 2, 3, or more years. They still in danger of extinction. southeast U.S. each year. The lay an average of 3 to 5 egg Adult loggerheads weigh up majority of nesting in the clutches, with about 12 days southeast U.S. takes place on between each nesting. There Florida's Atlantic coast between are an average of 115 eggs per the inlet at Cape Canaveral clutch and they incubate for and Sebastian Inlet, especially about 60 days. Nesting season within the Archie Carr National runs from June through October Wildlife Refuge. in the U.S. The largest nesting site in the western hemisphere is Green turtle at Tortuguero, Costa Rica. (Chelonia mydas) Leatherback Green turtles are an endan- (Dermochelys coriacea) gered species around the world, but they still nest in significant Leatherbacks are also Loggerhead hatchling numbers on the east coast of endangered, but a few nest on Florida. They are easily distin- the east coast of Florida each to 350 pounds and have a guished from other sea turtles year. The leatherback is the reddish-brown carapace (upper because they have a single pair champion of sea turtles. This shell) and a dull brown to of scales in front of their eyes species grows the largest, dives yellow plastron (lower shell). rather than two pairs as other the deepest, and travels the Fully grown, a loggerhead's sea turtles have. The green farthest of all sea turtles. Mature carapace is typically 32 to 41 turtle is the largest of the leath-erbacks typically reach inches long (82-105cm). Cheloniidae family. Female about 4 to 8 feet in length and

Page 8 Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide weigh from 650 to 1,300 in captivity can eat twice their pounds. The largest leatherback weight in jellyfish each day. ever recorded was almost 10 feet Leatherbacks approach (3 m) from the tip of its beak to coastal waters only during the tip of its tail and weighed in breeding season. Nesting occurs at 2,019 pounds (916 kg). The throughout the Caribbean, on leatherback is the only sea turtle the northern coast of South that lacks a hard shell. It is America, the Pacific coast of named for its large, elongated Central America, and on the Adult hawksbill shell which is composed of a east coast of Florida. Nesting layer of thin, tough, rubbery season runs from March bean, they are no longer found skin, strengthened by thousands through July. Leatherbacks nest anywhere in large numbers. of tiny bone plates. Seven every 2 to 3 years, laying 6 to 9 Kemp’s ridley narrow ridges run down the egg clutches in a nesting season. (Lepidochelys kempii) length of the carapace, which is Each clutch contains approxi- typically black with many white mately 80 fertilized eggs the size Kemp’s ridleys are the most spots. The lower shell is whitish of billiard balls and 30 smaller, endangered of all sea turtles; to black and marked by 5 ridges. unfertilized eggs. There is an they are also the smallest. The body of a leatherback is average of 10 days between Adults measure 24 to 28 inches barrel shaped, tapering at the nestings. The eggs incubate for (62-70 cm) in carapace length rear to a blunt point. With this approximately 65 days. and weigh between 77 and 100 streamlined body shape and the pounds (35-45 kg). The cara- powerful front flippers, a leath- Hawksbill pace of adults is olive green and erback can swim thousands of (Eretmochelys imbricata) the plastron is yellowish. miles over open ocean and Hawksbills are endangered Unlike other sea turtles, against fast currents. in large part because people kill Kemp’s ridleys nest annually. Leatherbacks feed almost them to get their beautiful They lay about 2 clutches exclusively on jellyfish. It is shells, which are used to make during each season, about 25 remarkable that this large, jewelry and other products. days apart. Each nest contains Although they are found in U.S. around 105 eggs, which incu- waters, they rarely nest in North bate 55 days. The only major America. breeding site of the Kemp’s The hawksbill is one of the ridley is on a small strip of beach smaller sea turtles, measuring 30 at Rancho Nuevo, Mexico. to 36 inches in carapace length Kemp’s ridleys nest in mass (76-91 cm) and weighing 100 to synchronized nestings called 150 pounds (40-60 kg). arribadas(Spanish for “arrival”). Hawksbill turtles nest at The arribada of Kemp's intervals of 2, 3, or more years. ridleys occurs at regular intervals between April and June. In Leatherback hatchling An average of 2 to 4 egg clutches are laid approximately 1942, a Mexican architect 15 days apart during nesting filmed an estimated 42,000 active animal can survive on a season. An average of 160 eggs ridleys nesting at Rancho diet of jellyfish, which are per clutch are laid and they Nuevo in one day. During composed mostly of water and incubate for approximately 60 1995, only 1,429 ridley nests appear to be a poor source of days. Although they nest on were laid at Rancho Nuevo. nutrients. Young leatherbacks beaches throughout the Carib-

Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide Page 9 Sea Turtles: Scientific Classification

The chart below shows the scientific classification of the sea turtles that still exist today.

KINGDOM...... Animalia

PHYLUM ...... Chordata

CLASS...... Reptilia Class Reptilia includes snakes, lizards, crocodiles, and turtles. Reptiles are ectothermic (cold-blooded) and are vertebrates (have a spine). All reptiles have scaly skin, breath air with lungs, and have a three-chambered heart. Most reptiles lay eggs.

ORDER ...... Testudines Order Testudines includes all turtles and tortoises. It is divided into three suborders. Pleurodira includes side-necked turtles, Cryptodira includes all other living species of turtles and tortoises, and Amphichelydia includes all extinct species.

SUBORDER ...... Cryptodira Suborder Cryptodira includes freshwater turtles, snapping turtles, tortoises, soft- shelled turtles, and sea turtles.

FAMILY ...... Cheloniidae or Dermochelyidae Sea turtles fall into one of two families. Family Cheloniidae includes sea turtles which have shells covered with scutes (horny plates). Family Dermochelyidae includes only one modern species of sea turtle, the leatherback turtle. Rather than a shell covered with scutes, leatherbacks have leathery skin.

GENUS and SPECIES Most scientists currently recognize seven living species of sea turtles grouped into six genera. The black sea turtle is considered by some to be an eigth species.

Caretta Chelonia Eretmochelys Lepidochelys Natator Dermochelys caretta mydas imbricata kempii depressus coriacea loggerhead green turtle hawksbill Kemp's ridley Australian flatback leatherback

&&

mydas agassizi olivacea black turtle olive ridley

Page 10 Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide Sea Turtles: Behavior Patterns

ea turtles are generally hundreds or even thousands of flippers. If the female does not solitary creatures that miles during their migations. flee, the male attaches himself to S remain submerged for Sea turtles can sleep at the the back of the female's shell by much of the time they are at sea, surface while in deep water or gripping her top shell with claws which makes them extremely on the bottom wedged under in his front flippers. He then difficult to study. They rarely rocks in nearshore waters. folds his long tail under her shell interact with one another Many divers have seen green to copulate. Females observed outside of courtship and mating. turtles sleeping under ledges in on the nesting beach after Ridleys, however, do come reefs and rocks. Hatchlings recently mating often have together in massive groups typically sleep floating on the scratched shells and may be during their arribadas. But even surface, and they usually have bleeding from where the males when large numbers of turtles their front flippers folded back were hooked to their shells. gather on feeding grounds or over the top of their backs. Copulation can take place during migration, there is little either on the surface or under behavioral exchange among individuals. Because of the difficulty in studying marine turtles in the open ocean, there are a great many things still unknown about their behavior. Decades of research, however, including observations at sea, have produced useful insights into daily activities and behav- iors such as courtship, mating and nesting. water. Sometimes several males Courtship & Mating will compete for females and Daily Activities Courtship and mating for may even fight each other. Sea turtles are known to feed most sea turtles is believed to Observers of sea turtle mating and rest off and on during a occur during a limited “recep- have reported very aggressive typical day. During the nesting tive” period prior to the female's behavior by both the males and season, research conducted in first nesting emergence. After- females. the southeast United States has wards, only females come ashore Females may mate with shown that loggerheads follow to nest; males almost never several males just prior to nest- regular patterns between the return to land once they leave ing season and store the sperm nesting beach and offshore reefs the sand of their natal beach. for several months. When she and other rocky structures. It is During mating season, males finally lays her eggs, they will presumed that mating and/or may court a female by nuzzling have been fertilized by a variety feeding occur at these offshore her head or by gently biting the of males. This behavior may areas. Sea turtles may migrate back of her neck and rear help keep genetic diversity high

Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide Page 11 Step 1: Crawling to a suitable nesting site Step 2: Digging the body pit Step 3: Digging the egg chamber in the population. stand about how, where and although individuals of some when sea turtles nest, the better species may nest only once and Nesting, Incubation we will be able to protect their others more than ten times. Sea and Emergence nesting habitat. turtles are generally slow and awkward on land, and nesting is Beach Selection Very little is known about exhausting work. why sea turtles nest on some Most females return faithfully Constructing the Nest beaches and not on others. In to the same beach each time Florida, loggerheads nest by the they are ready to nest. Not only The female turtle crawls to a thousands on the central east do they appear on the same dry part of the beach and begins coast, while identical looking beach, they often emerge within to flings away loose sand with beaches to the north see far a few hundred yards of where her flippers. She then constructs fewer loggerheads. This nesting they last nested. a "body pit" by digging with her flippers and rotating her body. distribution may reflect condi- Nesting Behavior tions that existed centuries ago, After completing the body pit, when temperature, beach Only the females nest, and it she digs an egg cavity using her profiles or the lack of predation occurs most often at night. The cupped rear flippers as shovels. made some areas preferable to female crawls out of the ocean, The egg cavity is shaped roughly sea turtles. pausing frequently as if carefully like a tear drop and is usually Today, humans are affecting scoping out her spot. Sometimes tilted slightly. she will crawl out of the ocean, the places where sea turtles nest. Laying and Burying the Eggs Beach erosion caused by coastal but for unknown reasons decide armoring and navigational not to nest. This is a "false When the turtle has finished inlets, artificial lighting and crawl," and it can happen digging the egg chamber, she beach renourishment are all naturally or be caused by artifi- begins to lay eggs. Two or three impacting once pristine beaches. cial lighting or the presence of eggs drop out at a time, with These changes will likely have people on the beach. mucus being secreted through- lasting effects on future nesting Most females nest at least out egg-laying. The average size patterns. The more we under- twice during the nesting season, of a clutch ranges from about 80

Eggs incubating in the nest. Hatchlings begin breaking out of shells. Hatchlings work their way to top of nest.

Page 12 Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide are liberated from their nest by their mother, sea turtle hatchlings must do it all them- selves. To break open their shells, hatchlings use a sharp, temporary egg-tooth, called a "caruncle." The caruncle is an extension of the upper jaw that falls off soon after birth. Step 4: Laying the eggs Step 5: Burying and disguising the nest Digging out of the nest is a to 120 eggs, depending on the begins using her front flippers to group effort that can take several species. Because the eggs are refill the body pit and disguise days. Hatchlings usually emerge flexible, they do not break as the nest. By throwing sand in from their nest at night or they fall into the chamber. This all directions, it is much harder during a rainstorm when tem- flexibility also allows both the for predators to find the eggs. peratures are cooler. Once they female and the nest to hold After the nest is thoroughly decide to burst out, they erupt more eggs. concealed, the female crawls from the nest cavity as a group. Nesting sea turtles appear to back to the sea to rest before The little turtles orient them- shed tears, but the turtle is just nesting again later that season or selves to the brightest horizon, secreting salt that accumulates before beginning her migration and then dash toward the sea. If in her body. back to her feeding ground. they don't make it to the ocean Many people believe that Once a female has left her nest, quickly, many hatchlings will while laying her eggs a sea she never returns to tend it. die of dehydration in the sun or turtles goes into a trance from be caught by predators like birds Incubation which she cannot be disturbed. and crabs. This is not entirely true. A sea Incubation takes about 60 Once in the water, they turtle is least likely to abandon days, but since the temperature typically swim several miles off nesting when she is laying her of the sand governs the speed at shore, where they are caught in eggs, but some turtles will abort which the embryos develop, the currents and seaweed that may the process if they are harassed hatching period can cover a carry them for years before or feel they are in danger. For broad range. Essentially, the returning to nearshore waters. this reason, it is important that hotter the sand surrounding the There are many obstacles for sea turtles are never disturbed nest, the faster the embryos will hatchlings in the open ocean. during nesting. develop. Cooler sand has a Sharks, big fish and circling birds Once all the eggs are in the tendency to produce more all eat baby turtles, and they die chamber, the mother turtle uses males, with warmer sand pro- after accidentally eating tar balls her rear flippers to push sand ducing a higher ratio of females. and plastic garbage. The ob- stacles are so numerous for baby over the top of the egg cavity. Emerging from the Nest Gradually, she packs the sand turtles that only about one in down over the top. She then Unlike baby alligators, which 1,000 survives to adulthood.

Hatchlings erupt and head for water. Many animals eat hatchlings in the ocean. Hatchlings eat and drift in sargasso weed.

Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide Page 13 Sea Turtles: Migration and Navigation Abilities

Migration Sea turtles typically spend marks. Even with these limita- their juvenile years eating and tions, sea turtles regularly navi- The ability of a sea turtle to growing in nearshore habitats. gate long distances to find the migrate hundreds (and occasion- Once they reach adulthood and same tiny stretch of nesting ally thousands) of miles from its sexual maturity, it is believed beach. How they do it is one of feeding ground to its nesting that they migrate to a new the greatest mysteries in the beach is one of the most remark- feeding ground. It is in this animal kingdom, and finding an able acts in the animal kingdom. primary feeding area where adult answer has been the focus of That adult females return turtles probably remain through- generations of researchers. faithfully to nest on the very out their lives, except during One promising new theory beach where they were born breeding season. When it is on how sea turtles navigate makes the feat even more their time to mate and nest, suggests that they can detect amazing. both males and females leave both the angle and intensity of Research into where and their feeding grounds and the Earth's magnetic field. how sea turtles migrate has been migrate to the nesting beach. Using these two characteristics, a focus of scientists for decades. This periodic migration will a sea turtle may be able to The information collected is continue throughout their lives. determine its latitude and vital to the development of longitude, enabling it to navi- conservation strategies for the Navigation gate virtually anywhere. Early species. In the open ocean, sea turtles experiments seem to prove that We now know that sea encounter strong currents; they sea turtles have the ability to turtles undergo migration have only modest vision; they detect magnetic fields. Whether throughout their lives, begin- can only raise their heads several they actually use this ability to ning with the first frenzied swim inches out of the water; and navigate is the next theory as a hatchling. During its first there are often no visible land- being investigated. critical 48 hours, a hatchling must travel from the beach to a place in the ocean where it is relatively safe from predators and where it can find food. Many hatchlings in the Atlantic and Caribbean make their way into Gulfstream currents, which are filled with floating sargassum weed. There the young turtles find an ample food supply and few predators. After several years of floating around the Atlantic, these young turtles are big enough to venture back into Caribbean Conservation Corporation has been tagging green turtles that nest at Tortuguero, Costa Rica, for over three decades. Tag recoveries from different parts of the nearshore waters. Caribbean show some of the places where these turtles migrate after nesting.

Page 14 Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide Studying Migration The migratory nature of sea turtles creates a number of challenges for those working to fully understand and protect these creatures. In particular, to adequately protect sea turtles in all their habitats, we must know where these habitats are, how One of the first groups to start tagging sea turtles was the Caribbean Conservation Corporation, under the leadership of Dr. Archie Carr. CCC began tagging green turtles the turtles behave while there, on the nesting beach at Tortuguero, Costa Rica, in the early 1950s, and this important and what routes the turtles take research continues to this day. to migrate between them. when she comes ashore to nest. carapace, behind the head, Most sea turtle research has Each tag includes a coded where the unit’s small flexible been carried out on nesting number and a message asking antenna can break the surface to beaches — and for very logical people to return the tag to a transmit when the turtle comes reasons. These areas are easier certain address if it is found. up to breathe. A passing Argos for researchers to access, and When people return a tag, they satellite receives the information what occurs on the nesting get a small reward and are asked and transmits it back to re- beach (production of new sea where the turtle was encoun- searchers on Earth. After 8-10 turtles) is extremely important to tered. In this way, researchers months, the transmitter stops the species’ survival. Conserva- gradually learn about the many working and eventually falls tion efforts are also most easily places to which turtles migrate. safely off the turtle. directed at nesting beaches. In the case of turtles nesting Using computer mapping However, of all the places at Tortuguero, Costa Rica, tag programs, researchers can then where sea turtles travel through- returns make it clear that turtles see where the turtles migrate, out their life cycle, the least nesting there disperse to feeding what routes they travel and how amount of time is spent on the areas throughout the Caribbean. fast they generally swim. If the nesting beach. More than 90% A large portion of them go to map a researcher is using has of a sea turtle's life is spent in the the Miskito Coast of Nicaragua. enough detail, it is also possible water — feeding, mating, Efforts are now focused on to determine the habitat charac- migrating and doing whatever limiting the number of turtles teristics at the turtle’s location. else a sea turtle does when no killed there for food. After monitoring a number of one is watching. Consequently, The use of flipper tags has turtles in a specific population, the threats faced by sea turtles in provided vital information, but researchers gradually learn the ocean present the greatest it still leaves many questions where that population's major challenges to conservationists. unanswered. feeding grounds are located and To fully protect sea turtles what threats they may be facing throughout their range, more Satellite Telemetry at sea. This information allows must be known about their Researchers have recently conservationists to focus efforts migratory patterns and their begun utilizing satellites to track on the most important areas. behavior in the water. sea turtles in the open ocean. Several methods are used by First, a Sony Walkman-sized researchers to determine where transmitter is attached to the sea turtles move. One of the back of an adult or juvenile sea simplest methods involves turtle. The transmitter is at- placing a small, harmless metal tached directly to the turtle’s The Argos satellite tag on one of the turtle’s flippers

Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide Page 15 Sea Turtles: Threats to their Survival

ach year thousands of for birds, crabs and a host of a direct threat to sea turtles. hatchling turtles predators in the ocean. After Lack of information about sea E emerge from their nests reaching adulthood, sea turtles turtles leads many Americans along the southeastern coast of are relatively immune to preda- to unwittingly support the the United States and enter the tion, except for the occasional international trade in these Atlantic ocean. Sadly, only an shark attack. These natural endangered species. Buying and estimated one in 1,000 to threats, however, are not the selling turtle products within the 10,000 will survive to adult- reasons sea turtle populations U.S. is strictly prohibited by law, hood. The natural obstacles have plummeted toward extinc- but turtle shell jewelry and faced by young and adult sea tion. To understand what really souvenirs are the most frequent turtles are staggering, but it is threatens sea turtle survival, we contraband seized by customs the increasing threats caused by must look at the actions of officials from tourists returning humans that are driving them to humans. from the Caribbean. extinction. Today, all sea turtles Indirect threats are harder to found in U.S. waters are feder- Human-Caused Threats quantify, but it is likely that they ally listed as endangered, except In many cultures around the are causing the greatest harm to for the loggerhead, which is world, people still harvest sea sea turtle survival. listed as threatened. turtle eggs for food. Most Commercial Fishing countries forbid the taking of Natural Threats eggs, but enforcement is lax. The waters of the Gulf of In nature, sea turtles face a Poaching is rampant, and the Mexico and west Atlantic coast host of life and death obstacles eggs can often be found for sale are a major habitat for turtles, to their survival. Predators such in local markets. In these same but are also the main shrimping as raccoons, crabs and ants raid areas, adult sea turtles are grounds in the U.S. Each year, eggs and hatchlings still in the harvested for their meat. Turtle thousands of turtles become nest. Once they emerge, products, such as jewelry made entangled in fishing nets and hatchlings make bite-sized meals from hawksbill shells, also create drown. Worldwide, shrimp

The killing of sea turtles for meat is still a significant problem in many Caribbean countries.

Page 16 Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide trawling probably accounts for where they often die of dehydra- nests. If renourishment is the incidental death of more tion or predation. allowed to proceed during juvenile and adult sea turtles Coastal Armoring nesting season, nests can also be than any other source. At one buried far beneath the surface or time, as many as 55,000 sea Coastal armoring includes run over by heavy machinery. structures such as sea walls, rock turtles were killed each year in Pollution shrimp nets in the southeastern revetments and sandbags that United States alone. Today, all are installed in an attempt to Pollution can have serious U.S. shrimpers are required to protect beachfront property from impacts on both sea turtles and put Turtle Excluder Devices erosion. These structures often the food they eat. New research (TEDs) in their trawl nets. block female turtles from reach- suggests that a disease now Unfortunately, not all fishermen ing suitable nesting habitat and killing many sea turtles comply with the law, and sea accelerate erosion down the (fibropapillomas) may be linked turtles continue to drown in shrimp nets. Ingestion of Debris and Plastic Thousands of sea turtles die from eating or becoming en- tangled in nondegradable debris each year, including packing bands, balloons, pellets, bottles, vinyl films, tar balls, and styrofoam. Trash, particularly Leatherbacks feed on jellyfish, but can die by eating discarded plastic bags. plastic bags thrown overboard from boats or dumped near beach. Armoring is especially to pollution in the oceans and beaches and swept out to sea, is problematic along the east coast in nearshore waters. When eaten by turtles and becomes a of Florida, where beach develop- pollution kills aquatic plant and deadly meal. Leatherbacks ment is occurring in the very animal life, it also takes away the especially, cannot distinguish places where sea turtles come to food sea turtles eat. Oil spills, between floating jellyfish — a nest by the thousands. urban runoff of chemicals, main component of their diet — Beach Nourishment including fertilizers and petro- and floating plastic bags. leum, all contribute to water Beach nourishment consists Artificial Lighting pollution. of pumping, trucking or other- Nesting turtles once had no wise depositing sand on a beach It may seem that the threats trouble finding a quiet, dark to replace what has been lost to to sea turtles are almost too big beach on which to nest, but erosion. While beach nourish- to overcome, but they are not. now they must compete with ment is often preferable to Through personal actions, such tourists, businesses and coastal armoring, it too can negatively as making sure that oil, paints residents for use of the beach. impact sea turtles. If the sand is and other toxic chemicals are U.S. beaches are rapidly being too compacted for turtles to nest disposed of properly, reducing lined with seaside condomini- in or if the sand imported is the amount of fertilizer and ums, houses and hotels. Lights drastically different from native chemicals used on lawns, partici- from these developments dis- beach sediments, it can affect pating in plastic recycling courage females from nesting nest-site selection, digging programs and teaching others and cause hatchlings to become behavior, incubation tempera- about what they can do help are disoriented and wander inland, ture and the moisture content of all ways to make a difference.

Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide Page 17 Sea Turtles: Conservation Strategies

o truly protect sea It is also illegal to import, sell, or beachfront lighting, which is turtles around the transport turtles or their prod- known to deter females from T world, many different ucts. In the United States, the nesting and disorient hatchlings. countries and cultures must National Marine Fisheries cooperate and share responsibil- Service has jurisdiction over sea Conservation Goals ity. International laws and turtles in the water, while the The threats facing sea turtles agreements, research, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is are numerous and, for the most work of dedicated organizations responsible for them on land. part, humans are the problem. and individuals each must play a Other countries have their own For those of us trying to protect part. Long-term protection of conservation laws and regula- sea turtles, it is a mixed blessing sea turtles also means developing tions that apply to sea turtles. that so many threats are human- solutions that reduce reliance on International Agreements caused. On one hand, it is very management methods requiring hard to change human behav- direct human involvement -- Some regulations affecting sea ior. On the other hand, at least such as moving nests or raising turtles are global in scope. The there is hope for eliminating hatchlings in captivity. If sea "Convention on International threats. If sea turtles were going turtles cannot survive and Trade in Endangered Species" extinct because of geological or reproduce on their own, without (CITES) controls international climatic changes, there would be help from humans, then they are trade in endangered and threat- very little we could do to help. doomed. ened species. Sea turtles are Some immediate goals for Feeding and nesting grounds covered under Appendix I of protecting sea turtles include: must be protected, and a public this agreement and receive wildlife conservation ethic must protection from international * Crack down on illegal be fostered that can withstand trade by all countries that have international trade in sea gaps in government regulations, signed the treaty. turtles and their products by pressure from private interests, enforcing laws and agree- State and Local Protection and changes in the political ments. climate. In many states where sea * Decrease the turtle deaths turtles nest, state laws have been caused by commercial fishing National Laws passed to protect the species. through enforcement of Sea turtles are given legal These laws meet or exceed the Turtle Excluder Device protection in the United States requirements of the ESA. In (TED) and gill net regula- and its waters under the Endan- Florida for instance, the Marine tions. gered Species Act (ESA). The Turtle Protection Act was * Protect nesting beaches by ESA lists the hawksbill, leather- passed giving state agencies the establishing parks and refuges back, Kemp’s ridley and green power to enforce regulations or through regulations turtle as endangered; and lists protecting turtles and their combined with public educa- the loggerhead as threatened. habitat. tion initiatives. This designation makes it illegal Some local governments * Eliminate disturbances at to harm, harass or kill any sea have passed regulations to nesting beaches by decreas- turtles, hatchlings or their eggs. eliminate or control artificial ing artificial lighting, halting

Page 18 Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide beach armoring, regulating beach nourishment and limiting the impacts of people on the beach. * Enforce national and inter- national laws to minimize the dumping of pollutants and solid waste into the ocean and nearshore waters. * Continue research and monitoring activities so that the population can be As sea turtles continue to be killed around the world by poachers on the monitored and conservation nesting beach, in commercial fishing nets or by pollution, it is very difficult to explain the severe consequences this has on the species when the efforts can be focussed where numbers of nesting turtles seems to remain stable in areas. This visual aid, they are most needed. prepared by Dr. Jeanne Mortimer, is helpful in explaining how the complete * Increase public awareness harvesting of nesting females in a particular population (which is happening and community participation now in some parts of the world) may actually take decades to manifest itself on the nesting beach in reduced numbers of nesting adults. While in sea turtle conservation there may seem to be a never-ending supply of adult turtles to harvest, at through educational pro- some point there will be no more maturing new generations of sea turtles to grams such as this one. replace those that have been killed. And once these too have been slaugh- tered, the population will crash suddenly.

What to Do If You Encounter a Nesting Sea Turtle In Florida and other states the nesting process, or other from the turtle's head. Sea where sea turtles nest, turtle sea turtles nearby may be turtles, especially loggerheads, watches are conducted by trained discouraged from nesting if have very strong jaws and can and permitted individuals. The there are lights on the beach. harm you if provoked. goal is to educate people about sea * Do not handle the eggs or put turtles through direct contact, any foreign objects into the without disturbing the turtles. If nest. You can introduce you are interested in going on a bacteria or injure the eggs. turtle walk, you can call Sea * Do not handle or ride the sea Turtle Survival League at (352) turtle. In addition to being 373-6441 for a list of guides near illegal, you may injure the you. Sometimes people encounter turtle or cause her to leave sea turtles on their own while * Do not take pictures using without finishing nesting. walking on the beach at night flashes. This high-intensity * Do not disturb tracks left by during nesting season. If this light can be even more disturb- turtles. Researchers sometimes happens to you, here are some ing than the flashlights. use the tracks to identify the simple rules to follow: * Stay clear and out of sight of type of turtles that nested and * Do not walk on the beach with the turtle until she begins to find and mark the nests. a flashlight or shine a light in laying eggs, otherwise you may * Do enjoy the experience and the sea turtle's face. The light scare her back into the sea. remember it for the rest of may cause the female to abort * For your safety, stay away your life.

Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide Page 19 Coastal Habitats: Florida's Coastal Communities

ontaining nearly 1,200 the harsh heat and drought Over the past century, a portion miles of diverse coast- conditions all year long. Migra- of Florida’s beaches have been C line covering several tory species only use the beach lost due to a gradual one-foot climate zones and including during certain seasons. Three increase in the sea level. mangrove forest, lagoon, salt species of sea turtles regularly use With an ever-changing marsh, maritime hammock, Florida’s beaches as summer environment, beach and dune barrier island, coastal strand and nesting habitat, while many species have adapted over time to tropical key communities, Florida species of shore birds use the specialized roles, connecting the is a very unique state. The beach as over-wintering habitat. survival of animal species with coastal communities are home to Native plants species, such as the survival of plant species and a wide variety of plant and sea oats, beach cordgrass, dune the condition of the habitat. animal species, including many sunflower and railroad vine, are Longshore drift (the per- endangered and threatened saltwater and heat tolerant petual movement of sand along a species. The beach and dune enabling them to survive long coastline) and coastal winds ecosystem is the most common periods of dryness. Many native constantly move sand along the coastal habitat, covering ap- beach and dune plant species shore, while storm events help proximately two-thirds of help to protect and stabilize build or erode the sand. During Florida’s coastline. beach dunes during storms with hurricanes and major storms, deep and multilayered root sand is removed from a beach systems that help hold the soil and deposited off shore, forming and sand intact. If soil is eroded sandbars. In contrast, the gen- away during a storm, the newly tler waves shift the sand from exposed roots often form a root the offshore sandbars back onto wall in front of the exposed the beach. All of these forces dune. These roots act as a sand interact to determine the slope, trap, catching sand in the roots shape and size of a particular beach. Florida's Beach and and eventually helping to rebuild and stabilize the dune. Dune Ecosystem Beach Communities Beach Dynamics There are three very impor- Beach and dune systems, tant communities found in the Native Species especially barrier islands, are beach and dune ecosystem: Native animal species use the active and are constantly being coastal strand, maritime ham- beach and dune ecosystem all shaped by erosion (removal of mock and barrier islands. year long as a source of shelter sand from a beach), storms, Coastal Strand and food or as a nesting site accretion (addition of sand to a during the summer. Resident beach) and the natural drift of The coastal strand is a thin animal species, such as beach sand along the coast. Beach strip of fragile, woody vegetation mice, ghost crabs, sand fleas, erosion and accretion are caused that lies between the beach and racoons and several species of by ocean currents, wave action the maritime hammock. This birds have adapted to survive in and changes in the sea level. community is found only along

Page 20 Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide G

Coastal ecosystems can be a complex of several coastal communities. This diagram depicts the locations of the communities found on and around a barrier island. Maritime Hammocks and Coastal Strands (A) provide a stable soil for woody vegetation. Dunes (B) provide habitat for many species of plants and animals. Near Shore Waters (C) support a wide varity of fish and invertebrates in the shallow, sandy water. Barrier Islands (D) are formed by shifting sands that build up over time and support other communities. Lagoons (E) are areas where fresh and salt water mix. Salt Marshes (F) are areas of vegetation that are periodically flooded and are found on barrier islands and the main- land. The inlet (G) provides a tidal flow of water between the lagoon and ocean. the east coast of Florida and and coastal birds. The coastal community is found just inland provides a dense growth of strand is now severely frag- from the coastal strand. This native plants such as palmetto, mented, leading to the loss of community becomes established sand live oak and Spanish palms. several local beach mouse popu- on older dunes that are stable This dense vegetation is the lations. enough to support the growth of perfect place for the southeast- The Archie Carr National trees. Plant species include live ern beach mouse, gopher tor- Wildlife Refuge, Sebastian Inlet oak, cabbage palms, wild coffee, toise, indigo snake and other State Park and Canaveral Na- coral bean and several species of rare and endangered species. tional Seashore contain some of ferns. Coastal strand habitat once the last individuals of the south- The maritime hammock formed a continuous band up eastern beach mouse, as well as provides habitat for many species and down the coast, but it is now remnants of the coastal strand of animals including tree frogs, vanishing quickly due to coastal habitat upon which they depend. squirrels, scrub jays, blue-tailed development. In addition, Maritime Hammock skinks and both resident and introduced species (such as house migratory song birds. Unfortu- cats) are wiping out beach mice The maritime hammock

Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide Page 21 nately, these areas are well-suited islands and the mainland, while What about Sea Grass Beds? for development because of the estuaries are found directly on stable, well-drained soil, leading the coast and are open to the Florida has 1.5 million acres to the rapid decline of maritime near shore area. Estuaries and of sea grass beds. These beds hammock habitat. lagoons are areas where saltwater are important feeding and Besides their ecological oceans and freshwater rivers mix breeding habitats for many importance, many maritime together, forming brackish water. marine species, including sea hammocks contain shell mounds, Because lagoons receive some turtles. or middens, left by Florida’s protection from a barrier island, Unfortunately, sea grass beds original human inhabitants and they have less tidal flow and have been on the decline since provide an important archeologi- more standing water, while 1940 and more than one-third of cal link to Florida’s history. estuaries have strong tidal flows the original sea grass around the state has been lost. These areas Barrier Islands and little standing water. La- goons and estuaries are very are declining due to pollution Barrier islands make up more important because they support a and are being damaged by boat than 700 miles of Florida’s diversity of plants and wildlife. propellers and anchors. coastline. They are naturally The most impressive example formed by shifting sands that of a lagoon in Florida is the egrets. The species that live in build upon an existing sandbar to 156-mile-long Indian River salt marshes have adapted to eventually form an island. The Lagoon. This area is adjacent to sudden changes in water level, sand that has accumulated above the Archie Carr National Wild- water and air temperatures and the water surface becomes the life Refuge and is an important oxygen levels in the water. home for the drifting seeds of feeding area for juvenile sea Mangrove Swamps and Forests beach plants. As the seeds grow turtles. Unfortunately, marine and develop, their roots stabilize pollution has caused the health Florida has about 500,000 the soil, allowing the develop- of the lagoon to deteriorate, and acres of mangrove forests along ment of coastal strand and wildlife and plant abundance has its coastline. Mangroves receive maritime hammock communities. decreased. There are numerous an abundant supply of fresh Barrier islands support more than efforts now underway to restore water and perform important 35 species of plants and animals the health of the Indian River functions such as filtering out that are listed as either rare, Lagoon. pollution, holding sediments, threatened or endangered. protecting the shoreline from Barrier islands are greatly Salt Marshes erosion and providing habitat affected by the forces of wind and Salt marshes contain mostly tall for a variety of animals. waves and are constantly moving grassy plants that are periodically Mangroves are the most towards or away from the main- flooded by ocean tides. The plant biologically diverse of all the land. Because barrier islands cover differs within the marsh lagoon and estuary communities. provide mainland protection according to small changes in They provide habitat for at least from hurricanes and large storms elevation. 220 fish species, 24 reptile and by absorbing the impact of waves Marshes help stabilize sedi- amphibian species, 18 species of and storm water over flow, ments and buffer inland areas mammal and 181 species of entire barrier islands can be from storms. These communities birds. Commercial fishermen severely reshaped or completely are also very biologically diverse, also depend on mangroves for destroyed by a major storm. supporting a wide variety of the production of lobster, shrimp species ranging from fish to and snapper. Mangroves can be Brackish Communities oysters. Salt marshes are also very susceptible to coastal important feeding areas for development and pollution. Lagoons lie between barrier wading birds, such as herons and

Page 22 Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide Coastal Habitats: Threats to Coastal Communities

This section describes some negatively affect coastal ecosys- such as lagoons, mangroves and of the major threats to Florida's tems and wildlife by interfering salt marshes, are often polluted by coastal habitat and wildlife. The with natural beach shaping runoff from the mainland. Rivers one thing that all of these forces and disturbing habitat-- that empty into these coastal threats have in common is that especially sea turtle nesting waters carry pollution from inland they are primarily caused by habitat. Armoring is built in an sources, such as runoff from lawns humans. While it is disturbing to effort to slow or prevent the and farms. Pesticides, fertilizers, know that our own actions can erosion of sand in front of houses oil spills and sewage plant dis- have such negative impacts, the or other coastal structures. charges also pollute our coastal fact that we are to blame leaves Unfortunately, sea walls provide waters. hope that we can change our only temporary relief from the Beach-goers can also pollute behavior to protect the resources natural process of erosion and coastal ecosystems. Beach driving we enjoy so much and depend often increase the rate of erosion causes oil and other toxic fluids to upon. on adjacent sections of beach. accumulate in the sand, eventu- As erosion and sea-level rise ally reaching the ocean. Litter left Development puts more coastal structures at by beach visitors is blown into Rapid coastal development risk, armoring will become even the water and may be eaten by threatens the future of Florida’s more of a problem in Florida. marine animals, including sea turtles. As pollutants accumulate beach and dune ecosystems. As Inlet Jetties new houses and condominiums over time, our oceans may even- are built on beaches and barrier Inlets provide ocean access for tually no longer be able to sup- islands, many fragile and impor- recreational and commercial port the plants and animals that tant coastal communities are boats. Jetties, such as those at depend on them to survive. being lost forever. Unfortu- Sebastian Inlet, are built to nately, as more and more people stabilize inlets by trapping sand Exotic Vegetation move into the state, many of that would otherwise constantly Non-native, or exotic, vegeta- them gravitate toward the reshape the inlet. Unfortunately, tion has invaded many coastal coastline--resulting in even by trapping sand, jetties prevent areas. Most exotic species were faster rates of development. The the natural flow of sand along a introduced by humans as orna- gradual disruption of coastal coastline--causing the beach on mental plants for landscaping. habitat not only affects the one side of the inlet to erode Invasive coastal species, such as survival of plant and animal faster than normal. Sometimes, Australian pine, melaleuca and species, but also reduces the sand can be "bypassed" around Brazilian pepper, out-compete overall health of coastal ecosys- the inlet, but this process is very Florida's native plants, such as sea tems. expensive. oats, sea grape and dune grass, degrading the quality of wildlife Coastal Armoring Pollution habitat. Invasion of the coast by species that are less effective at Coastal armoring, such as sea Coastal waters and beaches stabilizing dunes also leads to walls, rock revetments and other are under constant threat from increased beach erosion. man-made structures, can pollution. Coastal ecosystems,

Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide Page 23 Coastal Habitats: Protecting Beach and Dune Ecosystems

s Florida’s human in sea turtle recovery plans the USFWS are each contribut- population continues developed by the U.S. Fish and ing money in the effort to buy A to grow and urban Wildlife Service (USFWS), land from willing sellers within development spreads across the which call for purchasing and the proposed refuge boundary. state, it becomes more and protecting the best remaining By mid-1996, more than $60 more important to protect the nesting beaches. million had been spent to remaining undeveloped areas In North America, sea turtles purchase 4.7 miles of of the beach and dune ecosys- primarily nest from North beachfront out of 9.3 miles tem and its diversity of commu- Carolina through Florida, with targeted for acquisition. nities, plants and animals. The more than 90% occurring in How Was the Refuge Named? creation of state and federal Florida. Within that range is protected areas through the the Archie Carr National The idea to establish a purchase of undeveloped land is Wildlife Refuge, a 20.5-mile national wildlife refuge to an important step in the conser- stretch of beach between protect sea turtles began in the vation and survival of Florida’s Melbourne Beach and late 1980s as a direct result of threatened and endangered Wabasso, along Florida’s east the work of world-renowned species, including sea turtles. central coast. The refuge ecologist Dr. Archie Carr. One of the most important sea attracts more nesting, threat- When Congress approved the turtle nesting habitats in the ened loggerhead turtles than refuge proposal, it was decided world is being protected by the virtually anyplace else on earth. to name the refuge in honor of Archie Carr National Wildlife These Brevard and Indian River Dr. Carr’s contributions to the Refuge, a cooperative effort County beaches also attract understanding and conserva- between federal, state and more nesting green turtles, an tion of sea turtles. county agencies and several endangered species, than any- Dr. Carr was a zoology private organizations. place in the continental United professor at the University of States. Even the endangered Florida, and his ability to Archie Carr National leatherback occasionally climbs translate science into literature Wildlife Refuge up these beaches to deposit her brought international atten- eggs in the sand. Protection of tion to the plight of sea turtles. Refuge History these beaches is essential to the Dr. Carr helped found the The Archie Carr National survival of loggerheads and Caribbean Conservation Wildlife Refuge was designated green turtles in North America. Corporation (CCC) to conduct by Congress in 1989 to protect To preserve this globally research, education and advo- one of the most important sea important nesting ground, the cacy on behalf of sea turtles; he turtle nesting sites in the world. USFWS is in the process of wrote 11 books and more than Long stretches of quiet, acquiring the remaining unde- 120 scientific articles about sea undisturbed sandy beaches, with veloped lands between turtles and their habitats little or no artificial light, are Melbourne Beach and Wabasso. before his death in 1987. essential to the reproductive The state of Florida, Brevard Through its Sea Turtle Sur- success and survival of sea and Indian River counties, the vival League program, CCC is turtles. This fact is recognized private Mellon Foundation and today helping enhance, protect

Page 24 Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide and promote the Archie Carr Indian River counties continue How the Sea Turtle Survival National Wildlife Refuge. to threaten the future effective- League is helping the Refuge ness of the refuge. Supporters Sea Turtles and Other Coastal The Sea Turtle Survival of the refuge work towards Wildlife in the Refuge League (STSL) engages in acquiring the best remaining education, research and advo- Thorough scientific studies parcels of undeveloped land. cacy designed to protect, of sea turtle nesting activity Unfortunately, funds available promote and enhance the along the beaches of the refuge for land acquisition, especially globally important sea turtle have continued each nesting from the federal level, are nesting beaches of the Archie season for almost a decade. scarce. Carr National Wildlife Refuge. Studies by Dr. Llewellyn Successful completion of Educational programs target the Ehrhart, University of Central the Archie Carr National media, the public and schools Florida, confirm the global Wildlife Refuge depends on an with information about the importance of the refuge to increase in funding for land importance of the area and the loggerheads and green turtles. acquisition efforts and wide threats it faces. Increased During recent nesting public support for the refuge. awareness is helping raise public seasons, which run from May Since the dedication of the support for land acquisition to October each year, between refuge by Congress, the funding. Through advocacy, the 16,000 and 20,000 loggerhead financial contributions of local STSL works with decision- nests were counted in the and state governments and makers to ensure that sea turtles refuge. Nesting like this makes private, nonprofit organizations and their habitat receive the the refuge the most productive has surpassed the federal greatest level of protection. The nesting site for loggerheads in commitment. Scientists, conser- Sea Turtle Survival League the Western Hemisphere, and vationists and land managers supports and publicizes research possibly in the world. Each consider completion of the in the refuge, including nesting season, between 200 and more acquisition phase of the refuge surveys and tracking of green than 1,000 green turtle nests are as the most essential step. counted in the refuge. A few turtle migratory patterns. rare leatherbacks also nest there each year. The refuge provides habitat Site of the for other threatened and Refuge endangered species, such as the Florida scrub jay, gopher tortoise, beach mouse and numerous plant species by supporting coastal strand, maritime hammock and barrier island communities. A Wildlife Refuge at Risk The Archie Carr Refuge represents the nation’s most significant land acquisition effort to protect the world’s populations of marine turtles. Unfortunately, rapid coastal development in Brevard and

Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide Page 25 Getting Involved: What You Can Do To Get Involved v Adopt-A-Turtle to Support local paper. Have students write Sea Turtle Conservation letters that inform your commu- Have the class take a per- nity about the plight of sea sonal interest in one of the turtles and other marine wildlife. satellite-tagged turtles or a turtle You might even let people know tagged in Costa Rica. The $25 about this program. If you live donation directly supports sea near the coast, ask people to do turtle conservation. See the their part to protect nesting Order Form for details. turtles and hatchlings by turning v Reduce the Amount of off beachfront lights during Plastic Garbage You Produce nesting season or opposing the Tips for Writing Letters to use of coastal armoring. Decision-Makers Have each class member v Write Letters to or Call bring in all the plastic trash 1) Original letters count most. Your Elected Officials Express your views in your own collected at home in a 24-hour words and, if possible, include a period. Discuss the amount all There are a number of personal experience in your letter. the students in the school might ongoing issues affecting sea produce in a day; the whole city; turtles or their habitats that are 2) Address one issue at a time the state; the nation. As a class, being debated by the State and be brief. One page is perfect, discuss how people can get Legislature. First, discuss the but you could go to two. Legible through each day using less layout of a letter with students handwritten letters are fine. plastic and where to recycle (see the adjacent article for tips on plastic -- then agree to do it. writing to politicians). Next, have 3) Your first sentence should state students write or call in support or where you live, especially if you v Tell People How Helium are a constituent of the elected Balloons Harm Sea Turtles opposition to a particular issue. STSL can provide information on official to whom you are writing. Helium-filled balloons are current issues. frequently released into the sky 4) The first paragraph should v Reduce the Amount of explain why you are writing and to celebrate events. Like plastic Chemicals You Use what you want the person to do. trash, helium balloons end up in the ocean, especially when Many people use chemicals 5) Ask for a response. For released near the coast. Sea and fertilizers on their lawns and example: “I look forward to turtles mistakenly eat the bal- gardens. Used motor oil and hearing how you will vote.” loons and die. Ask groups paints are deadly to plants and planning a ballon release to animals if not disposed of cor- 6) Be polite in the letter and consider another attention rectly. Many of these chemicals thank the reader for considering getter. get washed into coastal lagoons your views. v Write a Letter to the Editor and wash up on beaches. Have the class find biodegrad-able 7) Remember, when elected of Your Local Newspaper officials receive enough letters lawn and garden products and Find out how to submit a about a particular issue, their facilities that properly dispose of opinions can be influenced. "Letter to the Editor" to your toxic chemicals.

Page 26 Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide Classroom Resources: Activity Ideas

he following activity ideas v Guess Where the Turtles v Create A Mythological are offered to help you use Being Tracked are Heading Story About Sea Turtles T the information in this Using the information As described in "A Brief Guide in your classroom. We have presented throughout this Overview: Turtles and Hu- tried to include activities that Guide, try to guess where the mans," sea turtles have long incorporate art, math, geography, turtles now being satellite played a part in the mythology political science, writing and biol- tracked may be headed and how of many cultures. Mythological ogy. These activities can easily be long it may take them to get stories are often used by cultures modified for any grade level by there. You can post your to answer some of life's difficult adjusting the amount of detail. guesses on the web page bulle- questions. For instance, many tin board. Here are a few useful Native American tribes believed clues: the world began on the back of vDraw the Five Species of Sea Clue #1: In past years, re- a giant turtle. For this exercise, Turtles Found in U.S. Waters searchers have marked many you and your class can try to threatened loggerhead turtles in create your own mythological Using the descriptions of the the Archie Carr Refuge with story about sea turtles. In the different species of sea turtles numbered flipper tags. These process, try to incorporate some that begins on page 4, try to draw tags have been recovered in of the facts contained in this a relatively accurate picture of areas such as the Gulf of guide, such as the fact that sea each type of turtle. You can then Mexico, Florida Bay, the Baha- turtles travel all around the visit the Sea Turtle Survival mas and Cuba. world's oceans. You could also League web page and look in the Clue #2: Green turtles are try to come up with a mytho- section called "General informa- logical story to explain the role tion about sea turtles" to com- herbivores, meaning they only eat plants. Their feeding sea turtles are now playing in pare your drawings to actual teaching humans about how we pictures of the different species. grounds will be areas with lots of algae and sea grasses. are treating the earth. v Compare Your Weight to v Create a Sea Turtle Display That of a Sea Turtle Clue #3: The average swim- ming rate of migrating green for the Whole School to See The average weights of the turtles in Hawaii has been Use materials such as news- different sea turtle species are documented at about 30 miles papers, papier mache and paint given on Pages 6 and 7. Bring a per day. Turtles nesting in to create an educational display. weight scale to class and start Florida should be able to keep It could focus on some of the weighing students one by one -- pace with that figure. Also, threats sea turtles and coastal keeping track of the cumulative remember that satellite tagged habitats face. You could even weight. See how many students female turtles will not return to turn your classroom into a it takes to add up to the weight nest for at least 2-3 years, so they marine or coastal habitat! If you of a green turtle, leatherback or have plenty of time to visit do create one, we would love to a Kemp's ridley. You can do the distant places before reaching see a picture of the final prod- same sort of thing for length too. their primary feeding ground. uct.

Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide Page 27 v Prepare a Report on Sea v Conduct a Mock Public v Discuss the Role Different Turtle Protection Hearing Before Making a Countries Must Play in Pro- Decisions about how to Decision on a Controversial tecting Sea Turtles protect sea turtles are made at Issue Affecting Sea Turtles Sea turtles that nest in the many different government Appoint five students to southeast U.S. travel all over levels. Divide the class into 5 serve as county commissioners the Atlantic, the Gulf of groups. Each group represents a for a coastal county in Florida. Mexico and the Caribbean. It is different level of government; The commission is meeting to important that we protect them International, Federal, State, hear from the public before while they are here, but other County or City. The group is deciding whether to approve the countries must play a role when responsible for making recom- construction of a large new the turtles are in their waters. mendations to protect sea turtles fishing pier. The only place the Which countries would need to in their jurisdiction. Using the pier can be built is on a section help protect a loggerhead that Educator’s Guide, web sites and of beach where thousands of sea nests in Florida and returns to the library have the groups write turtles nest each summer. the Caribbean coast of Panama and present (with visual aids) a Divide the rest of the class into to feed the rest of the year? report with information on how two groups -- one that supports Watch the migration of the to protect sea turtles, who the pier because they want a sea turtles on the Internet and should be involved in the place to fish and one opposed to discuss the name of the water process and who should imple- the pier because they are con- bodies they travel through. ment the plan. cerned it will harm turtles and Have students list the different v Use Latitude & Longitude interfere with nesting. Have the countries they pass by (if they to Plot the Turtle Locations two sides make short statements happen to leave U.S. waters). to the commission supporting Download the blank migra- their position, then let the v Discuss the Threats the tion map from the STSL web commission make a vote. Satellite Tagged Turtles are page and print it. It has latitude Facing and longitude marks on the Here are some possible decisions they might choose from: These adult sea turtles are sides. Next, look at the maps traveling in the open ocean showing the turtles' current A. Do not allow the pier to be right now. As they travel to locations and "estimate" the built. wherever their feeding areas are latitude and longitude of the B. Approve the construction of located, what are some of the most recent marks (or use data the pier. human-caused threats they may points if available, for some sea be facing? What, if anything, C. Approve the pier, but place a turtles we are not able to include can be done to eliminate these number of restrictions on the actual data points on the threats? web page). how it can be built and when it can be used. In this case, v What Would a Sea Turtle Then give those numbers to they would need to describe Say to People the class and have them plot the the restrictions. turtles' locations on the map you Have students imagine they downloaded. If you do not have Note: Remind the commissioners are a sea turtle that has been the ability to download and print that governmental decisions are asked to give a speech to leaders the map, you can use any map often very complex, and politicians of countries around the world. showing latitude and longitude or must balance their own beliefs and As a sea turtle, what would you you can call the Sea Turtle interests with the varied interests want these people to know? Survival League to request a blank and concerns of the public they Give the speech to the class. copy for a small fee. represent.

Page 28 Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide Classroom Resources: Attitude Assessment Grade Levels: 7 - 12 Goal of the Activity: The goal of this attitude assessment is to discover the attitude of the students about issues related to sea turtles. These questions do not have a right or wrong answer and can be used to initiate a class discussion on any of the different topics presented in the activity. You may add or subtract questions to make this activity more appropriate to sea turtle and coastal habitat issues in your area. Post Activity Discussion: It is important to remember that there are no right or wrong answers to these questions, but that certain answers benefit and help protect sea turtles and their nesting habitat. Lead your class through each question and ask for volunteers to comment on each question and the impacts or benefits the described actions might have on the survival of sea turtles. Students should not have to give their personal opinion but should get involved in talking about the issues. Discussion could focus around how the “general public” might responded to each question and why. You can also include how students might change their own attitude or the attitude of others. This activity can be used a second time at the end of the unit to evaluate if the students attitudes changed as a result of learning about sea turtles and their habitats. The list of questions are provided on page 29 so that you can copy the page to hand out to your stu- dents.

Cooperative Learning Activity: Sea Turtle Sizes Grade Levels: 6 - 10 Student Objectives: This cooperative learning activity is designed as an introduction to the different species of sea turtles found in Florida waters. Along the way, students will learn to work together and learn some interesting facts about the life history of each sea turtle species; at the same time they will be improving their skills in working together. After working through this activity, each student will be able to: 1. Describe at least one fun fact 2. Explain ways humans are a threat to sea turtles 3. Compare the diets of the different sea turtles 3. Differentiate between sea turtle species based on size Goal of the Activity: The goal is to get students to arrange the species of sea turtles in order of size and then assign sizes (in feet) to each species. All cards are necessary to complete the activity, so groups must have six students, or some students must take more than one card. The problems to be solved are stated on two separate cards. The sea turtle cards are provided as a list of species found in Florida waters to help the students organize the group’s thoughts.

Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide Page 29 Attitude Assesment

For each question circle one of the following choices: Strongly Agree (SA), Agree (A), Undecided (U), Disagree (D) or Strongly Disagree (SD).

1. When my family goes on vacation to the beach, we would SA A U D SD always turn off all unnecessary lights after dark.

2. If I were scuba diving or snorkeling and saw a sea turtle, it SA A U D SD would be fun to hang on to it and take a ride.

3. If I saw a nesting sea turtle at night, I would want to get close SA A U D SD as I can so that I could take some pictures.

4. If a family cannot afford to buy food, it is okay for them to take SA A U D SD an adult sea turtle for food (to eat).

5. If I owned a house on the beach, it would be okay to build a sea SA A U D SD wall to protect it from hurricanes and beach erosion.

6. Releasing hundreds of helium balloons at a celebration should SA A U D SD not be allowed since some may fall into the ocean and be eaten by sea turtles.

7. On a beach where there are several sea turtle nests, it would be SA A U D SD okay to take the eggs from one nest to sell if you really needed the money.

8. Pollution is not really a big problem in the oceans because they SA A U D SD are so big and cover such a large portion of the earth’s surface.

9. I prefer drive-on beaches so that I don’t have to carry all my SA A U D SD things across the sand.

10. When visiting the beach, I would never walk off the board- SA A U D SD walk or path onto the dune.

11. One of the best things about staying at the beach is the ocean SA A U D SD view from a beach front hotel.

Page 30 Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide Cooperative Learning Activity Card Sets

Sea Turtle Sizes Sea Turtle Sizes

The Kemp’s ridley is the rarest of all the sea The Green turtle is approximately 1.5 feet longer turtles. than the Kemp’s ridley. The most common species in Florida is approxi- mately 4 feet long. Solve this: Once you have arranged the sea turtle Share this information with your group members species in order by size, figure out the average size in to solve your problem. feet for each species.

Sea Turtle Sizes Sea Turtle Sizes

One of the reasons that Green turtles are endan- The rarest sea turtle averages 3.5 feet long. gered is that they continue to be hunted for their meat and eggs. The Loggerhead, the most common species in Florida, has powerful jaws to crush the heavy The average human adult male is 6 feet tall; that is shelled clams, crabs and other shelled animals on 2 feet shorter than the largest sea turtle. which it feeds.

The Hawksbill eats invertebrates. It is especially fond of sponges.

Sea Turtle Sizes Sea Turtle Sizes

The Leatherback is the largest and most active of The species that averages 4.5 feet long has been the sea turtles. They travel thousands of miles, dive hunted to the brink of extinction for its beautiful thousands of feet deep and venture into much shell. This species of sea turtle eats mostly sponges colder water than any other kind of sea turtle. and other invertebrates. Here is your group’s problem: Arrange the 5 species An adult Leatherback can grow to 8 feet long. of sea turtles found in Florida waters in order from smallest to largest.

Green Turtle Hawksbill Kemp's Ridley Leatherback Loggerhead Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide Page 31 Classroom Resources: Sea Turtle-Pictionary Grade Levels: 6 - 12 Student Objectives: This game uses words and concepts related to sea turtles, coastal habitats, threats to sea turtles and their habitats and conservation to develop skills in understanding issues through visualization and diagrams. This activity would be useful as a review of previously introduced materials. Rules: The rules are based on the game PictonaryTM. Using the list of words and concepts provided below, write each word/concept on a set of cards. Divide the class in half. Distribute to each half of the class a set of cards (stacked face down), drawing paper (scrap paper works great!), pencils and a timer. The students in each half should divide into teams of 3 to 4 students. Playing the Game: Play begins with one student from a team selecting the top card from the stack. That student has one minute to draw the word/concept, while the remaining students in the same team try to correctly identify the word/concept. Drawings cannot include letters or numbers. If the team members successfully guess the word or concept, they are awarded one point and may select the next card or pass the turn to the team on•f the left. If the team is unsuccessful, play goes to the team on the left. One student from that team would pick the top card from the stack and have one minute to draw the word/concept on the card. The games continues until one team scores 10 points and wins the game.

Feel free to add or subtract words and concepts based on the grade level.

Words and Concepts for use in Sea Turtle-Pictionary:

Beach Lights Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle Sea Turtle Nest Beach (or Dune) Leatherback Sea Turtle Sea Grass Beach Mouse Letter Writing Sea Wall Coastal Strand Longshore Drift Sea Turtle Eggs Congress Loggerhead Sea Turtle Sea Turtle Research Conservation Maritime Hammock Shrimp Net Coral Reef Migration Storm Event Development Pier Threatened Species Endangered Species Plastic Turtle Walk Endangered Species Act Poacher Turtle Excluder Device Entanglement Pollution Fibropapillomas Predation Green Sea Turtle Protected Area Gulf Stream Refuge Hatchlings Sandbar Hawksbill Sea Turtle Sargassum Helium Balloon Satellite Transmitter

Page 32 Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide Classroom Resources: Sea Turtle Quiz

ime to test your knowledge about sea turtles. In the first section, try to fill in the blank with the best answer. Answer true or false to the statements in the second section. If you need a little help, T you should be able to find all the answers somewhere in the Sea Turtle Survival League home page (http:www.cccturtle.org). The information can also be found in the Educator's Guide. Answers to each question are printed upside down at the bottom of this page.

Fill In The Blank 12) Fishermen trying to catch sometimes 1) A species becomes when there accidentally capture sea turtles in their nets, are no more of them alive left on Earth. which can drown and kill the turtles. 2) Sea turtles are not mammals, rather they are 13) By installing a " device" large, air-breathing that live mostly in their nets, fishermen can help turtles escape in the ocean. from their nets. 3) The smallest and most endangered of all sea 14) The federal law that makes it illegal to harm, turtles is the . harass or kill sea turtles, their eggs or hatchlings is called the . 4) Only adult female sea turtles lay eggs, and to build their nests they must return to . 15) Sea turtles face many threats to their survival, but most of these are caused by the activities 5) The turtle gets its name because of . its mouth is shaped like a beak. 6) Leatherback turtles sometimes choke and die Circle True or False after eating discarded , which they mistakenly eat because they look like jellyfish. 16) Scientists are using satellites to T F 7) Most sea turtle nesting in the United States takes track the migration of sea turtles. place in the state of . 17) More green turtles nest in the T F 8) Sea turtles are known to hundreds Archie Carr National Wildlife or thousands of miles from their main feeding Refuge than any other place in areas to where they mate and nest. North America. 9) A is when a female sea turtle 18) Coastal armoring is built on the T F crawls out of the ocean to lay a nest, but for beach to help sea turtles nest. some reason decides not to and returns to sea. 19) If you encounter a sea turtle nest- T F 10) When hatchlings emerge from their nest, they ing, you should shine light on the usually head straight for the water, but some- beach to help the turtle see. times they head the wrong way because they 20) Hatchling turtles grow up very T F are confused by artificial . fast, and they begin to reproduce 11) Nesting sea turtles often look like they are cry- in about five years. ing, but actually tears are just turtles' way of re- 21) People can help save sea turtles T F

leasing . by changing their behavior.

16) T, 17) T, 18) F, 19) F, 20) F, 21) T 21) F, 20) F, 19) F, 18) T, 17) T, 16)

9) false crawl, 10) light, 11) salt, 12) shrimp, 13) turtle excluder, 14) Endangered Species Act, 15) humans or people, or humans 15) Act, Species Endangered 14) excluder, turtle 13) shrimp, 12) salt, 11) light, 10) crawl, false 9)

(No cheating): 1) extinct, 2) reptiles, 3) Kemp's ridley, 4) land, 5) hawksbill, 6) plastic, 7) Florida, 8) migrate, 8) Florida, 7) plastic, 6) hawksbill, 5) land, 4) ridley, Kemp's 3) reptiles, 2) extinct, 1) cheating): (No Answers

Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide Page 33 Classroom Resources: Coastal Habitat Quiz

ow time to test your knowledge about sea turtles. In the first section, select the correct answer. Fill in the missing habitat types second section. If you need a little help, you should be able to find all N the answers somewhere in the Sea Turtle Survival League home page (http:www.cccturtle.org). The information can also be found in the Educator's Guide. Answers to each question are printed upside down at the bottom of this page. Multiple Choice 4) Salt water marshes and mangrove swamps are 1) The Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge on a vital part of the coastal community because: the Eastern Coast of Florida is considered the most A) they help filter pollutants out of the productive: water A) loggerhead nesting site in the western B) provide deep water feeding areas hemisphere C) stabilize sediments B) leatherback nesting site in the world D) A and B C) hawksbill turtle nesting site in Florida E) A and C D) green turtle nesting Site in the 5) Which of the following is NOT a threat to sea western hemisphere turtle nesting habitat? 2) This coastal vegetation community has A) removal of native dune vegetation become severely fragmented and is the most B) human development uncommon coastal vegetation community in C) planting native dune vegetation Florida: D) sea walls A) dune 6) The perpetual movement of sand along a B) condominiums coastline Is called: C) coastal strand A) a rip tide D) beach B) longshore drift 3) When houses and other human structures are C) a storm event built on barrier islands, this: D) upshore drift A) reduces the amount of habitat for native species B) increases the overall stability of the dune system C) increases the overall health of the G coastal community D) reduces the effectiveness of a barrier island to protect the mainland from hurricanes E) A and D F) C and D 7) Match the habitats G) A and B listed below with the correct letter on the diagram:

Barrier island ____ Near shore ____

Dune - B, Salt Marsh - F, Lagoon - E - Lagoon F, - Marsh Salt B, - Dune Dune ____ Salt marsh ____

C, 6) B, 7) Barrier Island - D, Near Shore - C, - Shore Near D, - Island Barrier 7) B, 6) C, Lagoon ____

(No cheating): 1) A, 2) C, 3) E, 4) E, 5) E, 4) E, 3) C, 2) A, 1) cheating): (No Answers

Page 34 Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide Classroom Resources: Worksheet #1 ee if you can help the mother turtle and her hatchlings find their way to suitable habitat. The hatchlings must make it to a healthy ocean habitat with plenty of food. The adult female turtle is S trying to find a dark, quiet nesting beach on which to build a nest. Beware of all the potential threats that can keep them from reaching their destinations.

Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide Page 35 Classroom Resources: Worksheet #2

ime to add a little color to this sea turtle's life. Use crayons, markers or colored pencils to color in this tropical reef however you see fit. While you are at it, see if you can name all the different kinds T of sea life shown in this picture.

an you say "TURTLE?" Sure you can! But can you say it in 9 other languages? Look at the two lists below and try matching each of the 10 different languages on the right with a word that means "turtle" C in that language from the list on the left. (The answers are printed upside down underneath.) When you finish, try saying "turtle" in all 10 languages. This list developed by the National Turtle and Tortoise Society. "Turtle" The Language Omslaan Tortur Vietnamese Norwegian Con rua Havskilpadde Indonesian Gaelic (Ireland) Tortue Penyu Spanish Dutch Schildkrote Tartaruga Italian German

Tortuga Turtle English French

Italian-Tararuga; Norwegian-Havskilpadde; Spanish-Tortuga; Vietnamese-Con rua Vietnamese-Con Spanish-Tortuga; Norwegian-Havskilpadde; Italian-Tararuga; Dutch-Omslaan; French-Tortue; Gaelic (Ireland)-Tortur; German-Schildkrote; Indonesian-Penyu; German-Schildkrote; (Ireland)-Tortur; Gaelic French-Tortue; Dutch-Omslaan;

Page 36 Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide Classroom Resources: Worksheet #3

ey! See if you can find the words listed to the right in the Crabs Leatherback WORDSEARCH below. The words can go up, down, Endangered Plastic H across, diagonally or backward. Once you find all the words, Nest Pollution see if you can explain what each has to do with sea turtles and efforts Turtle Excluder Habitat Beach Sea Wall to protect them. If you don't know, ask your teacher or visit the Sea Lights Shrimp Nets Turtle Survival League web page on the internet to try to find an Hatchlings Migrate answer. The web page address is http:www.cccturtle.org. Satellite Loggerhead

HDAEHREGGOL UNR

EASHRI MPNETSEM

RNTSLEPMI WQDSR

AKDCOFLBCHUUTK

LMMAHCAEBLCKAC

I OI TNLEYCYHTSA

GOGUF GI XCRABSB

HCRRLWENPOBAER

TWATKEQRGHI NAE

SATELLI TESTEWH

EZETUWTADDAOAT

TLRNPOCQHDTTLA

AURPLASTI CI WLE

TSXEPOLLUTI ONL

AKHYTVMOSWXQZP

ONBVOI UUHDZMLJ

Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide Page 37 Classroom Resources: Worksheet #4

Sea Turtles Facts: For each term on the right, write in the correct number of the description on the left.

1. This turtle gets its name from its ( ) Hawksbill exceptionally large head 2. This sea turtle is the only one ( ) Carapace without a hard shell 3. This turtle is named for the green ( ) Leatherback color of the fat under the shell 4. People kill this turtle to get its beautiful ( ) Natal beach shell, which is used to make jewelry 5. Green turtle diets may include these ( ) Kemp's ridley marine plants 6. This turtle is the smallest and most ( ) Green turtle endangered species of sea turtle 7. Loggerheads are primarily carnivorous ( ) Coastal armoring and feed mostly on these shellfish 8. This is the upper part of a sea ( ) Loggerhead turtle’s shell 9. Most sea turtles return to nest on ( ) Clams, mussels, crabs the place where they were born 10. This human activity threatens ( ) Sea grass and algae

sea turtle survival

(6) Kemp's ridley; (7) Clams, mussels, crabs; (8) Carapace; (9) Natal beach; (10) Coastal armoring Coastal (10) beach; Natal (9) Carapace; (8) crabs; mussels, Clams, (7) ridley; Kemp's (6) (1) Loggerhead; (2) Leatherback; (3) Green turtle; (4) Hawksbill; (5) Sea grass and algae; and grass Sea (5) Hawksbill; (4) turtle; Green (3) Leatherback; (2) Loggerhead; (1)

Page 38 Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide Glossary of Terms:

Accretion - the addition of sand to a beach by a gradual, Extinct - when the last living individual of a species dies, natural process. causing the species to no longer exist. Arribada - Spanish for “arrival,” used to refer to the False Crawl - term used to describe when a turtle crawls mass, synchronized emergence of nesting sea turtles. onto the beach but does not nest. Artificial Lighting - Light created by human-made Fibropapillomas - a disease that casues cauliflower-like sources, such as lamp posts and porch lights. tumors to grow on sea turtles and other animals. Beach Renourishment - the addition of sand to a beach Habitat - a place where a plant or animal naturally lives. by humans to replace sand lost through erosion. Herbivore - an organism that eats only plants. Body Pit - the upper part of a turtle nest where the turtle Incubate - process during which eggs develop into removes the surface layers of sand before digging the egg hatchings. chamber. Lagoon - an area where fresh water and salt water mix Brackish - somewhat salty water usually found in with a weak tidal flow and standing water. marshes, lagoons and estuaries along the coast. Latitude - distance in degrees north or south of the Carapace - the dorsal or upper portion of a turtle’s shell. equator. Carnivore - an organism that eats only other animals. Longitude - distance in degrees east or west on the Caruncle - a temporary, sharp egg-tooth on hatchlings Earth’s axis. used to tear open the egg shell. Longshore Drift - the perpetual or constant movement Clutch - a nest of eggs. of sand along a coastline. Coastal Armoring - anything built along a beach to Magnetic Field - a region in which there is a magnetic protect structures from beach erosion. force, found in the materials of the earth’s crust. Community - a group of animal and plant species that Middens - a garbage heap, usually referring to ancient live in the same area and interact with each other through mounds of artifacts, bones and discarded shells. food chains and other interrelationships. Migration - the act of moving from one place to another. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Natal Beach - the beach where a sea turtle was born. Species (CITES) - agreement to control the interna- tional trade of endangered and threatened species. Native Species - species that are indigenous or belong to an area. Crustacean - organisms such as lobsters, shrimp and crabs that have hard outer shells, jointed limbs and Nest - the structure made for laying and incubating eggs. usually live underwater and have gills. Plastron - the lower or ventral portion of a turtle’s shell. Ecosystem - a system made up of biological communities Poach - to hunt illegally. and the physical and chemical environment. Predator - an organism that lives by capturing and Egg Chamber (Cavity) - the part of a turtle nest where feeding on other animals or their eggs the eggs incubate. Pristine - an area that is untouched or unspoiled. Endangered Species - an organism that is in danger of Satellite Telemetry - technology that uses a radio becoming extinct. transmitter to transmits signal to satellites orbiting the Endangered Species Act (ESA) - a law that protects Earth. endangered and threatened species in the United States of Scutes - the hard scales covering a turtle’s shell. America. Storm Event - a disturbance, usually having strong Erosion - the removal of sand from a beach by either a winds, rain, thunder and lighting. gradual process or during a storm event. Threatened Species - an organism that may become Estuary - an area where fresh water and salt water mix endangered. with a strong tidal flow and little standing water. Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) - a device attached to Exotic Species - species that are introduced into an area a shrimp net to allow sea turtles and other large organisms where they are not naturally occuring. to escape from the net while allowing shrimp to be caught.

Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide Page 39 Catalogue of Educational Materials About Sea Turtles (Use order form on the facing page.) Educational Books: Additional Educator's Guides - Printed version of the Sea Turtle Survival League's Educator's Guide, with extensive information about sea turtles and the threats they face, plus classroom activity ideas and worksheets, is available in mass quantities. $4.00 each

Into the Sea - by Brenda Guiberson. This beautifully ilustrated book follows the life cycle of a sea turtle from hatchling to adulthood. Children are sure to enjoy this power- ful nature story. $18.95

Sea Turtles - by Jeff Ripple. Written for the general reader, this book profiles every species of sea turtle. It also includes information on their life cycle, how they navigate, who their predators are, what human threats exist and where conservation efforts are being made worldwide. Contains more than 60 spectacular photographs! $19.95

Sea Turtles (Our Wild World) - by Lorraine A. Jay. Teaches nature conservation and makes learning about animals fun. A durable softcover format that includes color photos and illustrations. If a child wants to know about sea turtles, this is the book to own. All seven species are described and pictured. Many mysteries of sea turtles are explained in the text and "Fun Facts." The accompanying illustrations and photographs are excellent. Ideal for children 8-12. $9.95

Books by Archie Carr, the founding Director of CCC. Renowned for his knowledge of sea turtle biology, ecology and natural history, Dr. Carr had a rare gift for translating his immense storehouse of knowledge into eloquent, award-winning prose. The Windward Road - $19.95 Ulendo: Travels of a Naturalist in and out of Africa - $19.95 High Jungles and Low - $19.95 Naturalist in Florida: A Celebration of Eden - $19.95

Audio/Visual Aids: Sea Turtles of the World Poster - This poster, by artist Deirdre Hyde, is a colorful depiction of the seven species of sea turtles found world wide, plus the Pacific green (aka Black Turtle). Great for sea turtle enthusists and educators! $11.95

Tales of the Green Turtle - This 27-minute video includes interview with Dr. Archie Carr and discusses CCC's 42-year-old Tortuguero green turtle monitoring program. $14.95

Sea Turtle Slide Show - Fifteen color slides of sea turtles, their nesting behavior, and threats they face. Comes with descriptive text and accompanying turtle information. $34.95

* Prices include shipping and handling within the United States.

Page 40 Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide Sea Turtle Adoption and Educational Materials Order Form

ea turtles have navigated the world’s oceans for more than 100 million years. Today, all sea turtle species are in danger of extinction. Caribbean Conservation Corporation and its Sea Turtle Survival S League invite you to join us in our efforts to study and save these ancient and mysterious creatures. You and your class can turn your convictions about protecting sea turtles into direct action. When you "Adopt" an endangered turtle you will be investing in the future of all marine turtles -- one turtle at a time. You and your class will receive a framable Adoption Certificate that includes a photo and background information about your turtle. You will also receive a colorful logo decal and a one-year subscription to our informative newsletter, the Velador, and four quarterly issues of Turtle Tides, our insert for children.

Name: School or Institution: Enter the name you would like to Street Address: appear on the Adoption Certifi- cate where it states "Adopted by": City: State: Zip: Country (If other than U.S.): Phone Number: Educators Cost for Adopting a Sea Turtle for your class is ONLY $20.00! Higher donations welcome.

CHOOSE WHICH TYPE OF TURTLE YOU WANT TO ADOPT Satellite Turtle - The movements of the satellite tagged sea turtles can be observed on the Sea Turtle Survival League web page at (http://www.cccturtle.org). Please check the web site for the names of the sea turtles currently being tracked through our site. Once you have decided on the turtle you would like to adopt, please write in the name in the space below. Enter the name of the turtle:

Name Your Own Turtle - If you choose this type of turtle, you will be adopting an endangered green turtle that was tagged by researchers with Caribbean Conservation Corporation on the beach at Tortuguero, Costa Rica. You will be the sole adoptive parent of one particular turtle, about which you will receive information, and you get to name the turtle yourself. (Enter the name you would like to give your turtle):

My Check is enclosed. (Payable to Sea Turtle Survival League) Item Name Quantity Price Please charge my credit card. M/C VISA Acct. # Exp. Date Signature Return this entire page to: Sea Turtle Survival League 4424 NW 13th Street, Suite A-1, Gainesville, FL 32609 Any additional donation If paying with a credit card, you can call or fax in your order. Florida residents - Add 7% sales tax Call (800) 678-7853 or Fax (352) 375-2449 TOTAL

Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide Page 41 Educator's Guide Evaluation Form Where did you hear about the Sea Turtle and Coastal Habitat Education Program?

Were you able to access the Sea Turtle Survival League home page? Yes No

Which did you utilize more? (Circle one) Home Page Printed Guide Used Both the Same

Did you copy any of the Educator's Guide to hand out to students? Yes No

On a scale of 1-10, how useful was this Educator's Guide in helping you teach your students about sea turtles (with 10 being most useful)? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

On a scale of 1-10, how useful was the Home Page in helping you teach your students about sea turtles (with 10 being most useful)? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 N/A

Was your class able to access the maps showing the turtles' migration? Yes No

What was your impression and that of your students toward the maps and the information presented on the home page?

What was your general impression of this Educator's Guide?

Do you have any suggestions for improving either the Educator's Guide, the Web Page or the education program in general?

Do you think your students gained a better appreciation for sea turtles and the threats they face due to this program? Yes No

Do you think your students gained a better appreciation for coastal habitats and the threats they face due to this program? Yes No

Do you have any suggestions for classroom activities that we can include in future editions of this Guide?

Thank You For Helping Us Continue To Improve This Guide! Return your evluation form for a free sea turtle poster, while supplies last! Please clip or copy this page and return it to: STSL, 4424 NW 13th Street, Ste. A-1, Gainesville, FL 32609

Page 42 Sea Turtle Survival League - Educator's Guide (This page was intentionally left blank.) "People tend to think of the productions of the sea as without limit, as fed by the limitless energy of the sun falling on the five-sevenths of the earth's surface that the oceans are. But this comforting thought does not apply to sea turtles. Huge nesting colonies of sea turtles have been wiped out before-- in Florida, in the Bahamas and all about the Caribbean. The dependence on wild shore for nesting, combined with the heavy natural predation on eggs and hatchlings deprives sea turtles of the resilience that many pelagic fishes have. Turtle food comes mainly from the bottom in the shallow fringes of the sea, and turtles require peace on the seashore to breed successfully. Sea turtle populations are small; and as man increases everywhere, they grow smaller." --Dr. Archie Carr, "So Excellent A Fishe"

Sea turtles remain some of the most mysterious and time-honored creatures on earth. The Sea Turtle Survival League, through its conservation initiatives and education programs, is helping ensure the gentle sea turtle remains a wild and thriving part of the natural landscape.

Caribbean Conservation Corporation's Sea Turtle Survival League Non-Profit Org. 4424 NW 13th Street, Suite A-1 U.S. Postage Gainesville, FL 32609 PAID (352) 373-6441 Permit # 401 Fax: (352) 375-2449 Gainesville, FL E-mail: [email protected] Web Page: www.cccturtle.org