Emergency: Cayman Islands Cayman Islands DepartmentofEnvironment, Marine turtlemanagementandlegislation Children with turtle,CIDoE•Tagging ahawksbillturtle, PeterRichardson/MCS Hawksbill turtle, MicheleFoss•In-water turtlecapture forresearch,Jennifer Gray•Nestinggreen turtle,MarkOrr• Front Cover Images: guide totheUKOverseasTerritoriesandMEAs Overseas Territoryparticipationintheseagreementsissummarisedhere.Youcandownloadacomplete Territories andworkswiththeirgovernmentstodecidewhichMEAstheywouldlikecommitto.TheUK depend. TheForeignandCommonwealthOffi ce isresponsiblefortheexternal affairsoftheUKOverseas to helpensurethesurvivalofendangeredspeciesliketurtlesandmarineenvironmentonwhichthey There arevariousMulti-lateralEnvironmentalAgreements(MEAs)whichprovideimportantframeworks concerns, contacttheDepartmentofEnvironment. to assistwithnestingbeachmonitoring.Forinformationonbecominginvolved,orshareideasand companies andrecreationaldiversrecordseaturtlesightings,volunteersfromthepublicaretrained organisations andbusinessessponsorsatellitetransmitterstotrackturtlesoninternationalmigrations,dive needs, anditsmonitoringprogrammesrelyheavilyonthesupportofcommunity.Localschools,civic Environment iscommittedtoresearchleadinganincreasedunderstandingofseaturtlemanagement unlicensed personstoharm,disturb,ortakeseaturtlestheireggs.TheCaymanIslandsDepartmentof Sea turtlesareprotectedundertheCaymanIslandsMarineTurtleConservationlaw.Thismakesitillegalfor About marine turtlesandtheirconservation: About marine turtlesintheCaribbeanUK OverseasTerritories: About theTUKOT project: Other sourcesofinformation: www.unfccc.int CLIMATE CHANGE(KYOTOPROTOCOL) THE UNFRAMEWORKCONVENTION ON www.seaturtle.org/iac TURTLES PROTECTION AND CONSERVATION OFSEA THE INTERAMERICANCONVENTION www.ramsar.org ESPECIALLY AS WATERFOWL HABITAT OF INTERNATIONAL IMPORTANCE THE RAMSARCONVENTION http://www.cep.unep.org/law/cartnut.php CARIBBEAN REGION MARINE ENVIRONMENT OF THE WIDER THE OF DEVELOPMENT PROTECTION AND THE CARTAGENACONVENTION www.ukcites.gov.uk www.cites.org SPECIES CONVENTION ONTRADEINENDANGERED www.cms.int/ WILD ANIMALS CONVENTION ONMIGRATORYSPECIESOF whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm HERITAGE THE WORLDCULTURAL AND NATURAL CONCERNING THEPROTECTIONOF WORLD HERITAGECONVENTION www.biodiv.org CONVENTION ONBIODIVERSITY www.unece.org/env/pp JUSTICE INENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS IN DECISIONMAKING AND ACCESS TO INFORMATION, PUBLICPARTICIPATION AARHUS CONVENTION KEY N/A not applytothisOverseasTerritory) Not Applicable(Thisagreementdoes Signed up 911tobereferred toMarineEnforcement

Tel: (SPAWPROTOCOL) (345)949-8469 ON ACCESS TO ON ACCESS ON WETLANDS www.seaturtle.org/mtrg/projects/tukot Signed up Not FOR THE FOR THE E-mail: [email protected] www.mcsuk.org

Box 486GT,George Town, ANGUILLA www.seaturtle.org/mtrg/projects/tukot/MEA_Guide.pdf N/A N/A ASCENSION N/A N/A BERMUDA N/A N/A and

www.seaturtle.org/mtrg/projects/tcot/ BRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY www.seaturtle.org/MTN BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

CAYMAN ISLANDS N/A N/A GIBRALTAR

MONTSERRAT N/A N/A PITCAIRN ISLANDS N/A N/A ST HELENA

TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS marine turtles of theCaymanIslands TURTLES IN THE TUKOT UK OVERSEAS TERRITORIES Atlantic Enforcement Ocean offi cer Gulf of Threats to marine disentangling Mexico a turtle from a turtles fi shing net Over-exploitation For centuries marine turtle eggs and meat were an important source of protein for fi shing communities. In addition, the shell of marine turtles, in particular that LITTLE CAYMAN Caribbean CAYMAN of the hawksbill turtle (also known as tortoiseshell), BRAC Sea was made into jewellery and sold to tourists. Many

GRAND marine turtle populations around the world have been CAYMAN decimated as a result of decades of over-harvest. 'EORGE 4OWN KM Juvenile hawksbill turtle MI Incidental capture Marine turtles are often accidentally caught in fi sheries targeting other species. Trawl nets and gill nets entangle turtles and many drown before they can be Marine Turtles of the released. Turtles are attracted to the baited long-line Cayman Islands hooks set on the high seas for tuna and swordfi sh and end up hooked or entangled in the lines themselves. It The people of the Cayman Islands have had a long is estimated that more than 250,000 turtles are caught relationship with marine turtles. Since the time of in long-line fi sheries operating around the globe Christopher Columbus, turtles have served as a food each year. Turtles are exposed to all the pressures of source, a cultural symbol and a tourist attraction and large scale, industrialised fi sheries when they leave have added to the diversity of these unique islands. Caymanian waters. Habitat loss Marine turtle nesting in Cayman Loss of habitat, often associated with development, is Before the Cayman Islands were settled by humans, a major problem for both nesting and foraging turtles. millions of turtles migrated to the islands to nest. When Inappropriate beachfront lighting is also a major Christopher Columbus discovered the Cayman Islands problem in Grand Cayman. When the young turtles in 1503, he named them “Las Tortugas” in honour of emerge from the nest at night, they are drawn toward Green turtle hatchling the abundant turtles and his expedition recounted the lights instead of the water. A single light can cause that the islands were “…full of tortoises, as was all the hundreds of misdirected hatchlings to be killed by sea about, insomuch as that they looked like little cars on nearby roads and parking lots, dehydrate in rocks…”. Turtle fi shing (‘turtling’) came to form the the morning sun, and increase their chance of being basis of the economy and culture of the Cayman killed by predators. Foraging grounds, especially coral Islands, providing a traditional food source and reefs and seagrass beds, are degraded by declining means of livelihood. However, by the beginning of water quality, anchor damage, and destructive fi shing the 19th century, commercial exploitation had driven practices. the enormous nesting populations in the Cayman Islands to the edge of extinction. Today, green and Climate change loggerhead turtles still nest on the beaches of Grand The Cayman Islands are no strangers to turbulent Cayman, Little Cayman, and Cayman Brac, but weather and Caymanians have survived severe in critically low numbers and urgent conservation hurricanes, like Ivan in 2004, which devastated much action is needed to ensure the survival of the nesting of Grand Cayman. Global climate change is set to populations. The Cayman Islands Department of create huge environmental challenges for people, A satellite tagged loggerhead Environment monitors turtle nesting, so please pass but is also considered a massive potential threat to turtle returning to the sea on any information about nests, nesting females, or turtles. Sea level rise, increased temperatures and an hatchling turtles. (Contact details on back of leafl et) increase in severe storms may seriously impact nesting and foraging sites in the Cayman Islands. Some nesting Marine turtles in Caymanian waters beaches must be left undeveloped so that they can Around the Cayman Islands, you are very likely to see naturally migrate inland as the sea level rises. young green and hawksbill turtles popping their heads Predation above water to breathe. These juvenile turtles are At all stages of their life cycle marine turtles are quite abundant around the island, but are unrelated predated upon by other animals including crabs, birds, to the nesting turtles. They come to the Cayman sharks and other large fi sh, and loose or feral animals Islands to feed on the reefs and seagrass beds. Once (such as cats and dogs). If large numbers of nests are they reach a certain size they will leave Caymanian destroyed, there is no recruitment to the population waters and travel to distant foraging sites before and this can have devastating effects on marine turtle returning to the beaches where they hatched to numbers. breed and nest. Young green turtle on Images: hawksbill turtle and juvenile green on seagrass, Peter Richardson/MCS • Green turtle Images: Enforcement offi cer disentangling a turtle from a fi shing net, Mark Orr • Cruise ship hatchling, Pedrin Lopez • Loggerhead turtle with satellite tag, Janice Blumenthal/CIDoE off the Cayman Islands, Sue Ranger/MCS • hurricane damage on the Cayman Islands, Matt seagrass Cottam • Dog digging up turtle eggs, Marcus Tordir The turtle’s tale A marine turtle’s life is an epic journey. Throughout their long lives they roam the world’s oceans, facing many threats at 6 every stage. This is the turtle’s tale.

1 Mike Daines • Leatherback turtle World travellers Upon reaching adulthood, males and females migrate thousands of

Green turtles • Doug Perrine/Seapics.com kilometres between their adult feeding The mating game and breeding grounds. Covering Until they become adults at about these vast distances takes a lot out of 25 years old, male and female turtles the turtles and so they don’t usually look very similar. When males reach undertake their migration every maturity they develop a long tail, season. Leatherback turtles however used to deposit sperm during mating. are the ultimate ocean wanderers Courtship and mating take place in the and continually roam the high seas. water near the nesting beach and can last for several hours. 4 5 2

3 Doug Perrine • Peter Richardson Peter Richardson/MCS • • Hawksbill turtle Juvenile hawksbill turtle

Nesting green turtle The lost years Back in the shallows The big night There are many predators in coastal In all species other than the Female turtles come ashore at night waters including sharks and other large leatherback, juveniles migrate back to lay their eggs on the same beach Green turtle hatchlings • Peter Richardson/MCS fi sh. Once in the water, hatchlings to coastal waters after several years on which they were born. They are Happy birthday hatchlings instinctively paddle against the waves, when they are about the size of a vulnerable on land and are scared by About 6-10 weeks later the eggs swimming non-stop, straight out to the dinner plate. They then adopt specifi c lights and movement on the beach. If begin to hatch. Digging out of safer open ocean for about 24 hours. feeding grounds such as coral reefs undisturbed, the female carefully digs the nest is a team effort and the This is known as the “juvenile frenzy”. and seagrass beds. In these nursery a nest up to 1 metre deep in the sand hatchlings emerge from the nest as a It’s unclear how hatchlings survive in areas, young turtles from distant at the back of the beach. She lays group in the cool of the night. They their fi rst “lost years”, but hatchlings of nesting sites live together. They tend to about 100 soft, white eggs. Females make a dash for the sea, fi nding their some species have been found in mats spend long periods at a single site, but nest several times in a season, laying way by heading for the lightest and of seaweed fl oating far out in open will typically use several foraging sites hundreds of eggs. lowest natural horizon, the sea. ocean currents. before they reach adulthood. Background image: Juvenile loggerhead turtle • Doug Perrine/ Seapics.com Marine turtles in the UK and the UK Overseas Territories Although small in land area, the UK Overseas Territories host extremely The juvenile turtles foraging in the waters around the Overseas high levels of biodiversity, in total far more than Great Britain and Territories are usually unrelated to the nesting adults. The map below Northern Ireland. Many islands are tropical or subtropical and host shows which species are found in each of the Territories where turtles important habitats for marine turtle nesting and foraging. occur and whether they are nesting adults or foraging juveniles.

1 TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS 2 BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS 3 BERMUDA 4 UNITED KINGDOM There are small There are small Bermuda’s green Adult foraging nesting populations nesting populations turtle nesting leatherback turtles of green, hawksbill of leatherback, population is now visit UK waters every and possibly hawksbill and green extinct and only very summer. Juvenile loggerhead turtles. turtles. The islands rare loggerhead loggerhead, Kemp’s The islands are a are a signifi cant nests are laid. ridley, green and signifi cant foraging foraging site for Bermuda remains a hawksbill turtles site for juvenile juvenile green and signifi cant foraging are occasionally green and hawksbill hawksbill turtles. site for green and recorded. turtles. hawksbill turtles.

12 CAYMAN ISLANDS 5 GIBRALTAR There are small As a result of its green and location, the waters loggerhead nesting of Gibraltar are an populations. The important pathway islands are a for immature foraging site for loggerhead and juvenile green and adult leatherback hawksbill turtles. turtles into and out of the Mediterranean.

11 ANGUILLA 6 BIOT There are small Early indications are nesting populations that the British Indian of green, Ocean Territory hosts leatherback and signifi cant nesting hawksbill turtles. The and foraging green island is a signifi cant and hawksbill turtle foraging site for populations. juvenile green and hawksbill turtles.

10 MONTSERRAT 9 PITCAIRN ISLANDS 8 ASCENSION ISLAND 7 ST HELENA There are small There is a small Ascension island has St Helena now has green and hawksbill population of green the second largest very little sandy turtle nesting turtles nesting on nesting population coastline, and rare populations and the these remote and of green turtles in green turtle nests island is a foraging isolated islands. Most the Atlantic ocean are occasionally site for juvenile nesting occurs on (4,000 females/ recorded. Mating green and hawksbill Henderson Island, year), and a small green turtles and turtles. which is a World foraging population juvenile hawksbills Heritage Site. of juvenile hawksbills. are a regular sight in St Helena’s waters.

Images: 1. Measuring a green turtle (Peter Richardson/MCS), 2. Staff and leatherback turtle (CFD), 3. Child with hawksbill -Bermuda (Bermuda Aquarium), 7. Mating green turtles (Doug Perrine/Seapics.com) 8. Children observing research (Brendan Godley), 9. Nesting green turtle (Peter Richardson), 10. JJ with green 4. Leatherback turtle (Mike Daines), 5. Loggerhead turtle (Graeme Cresswell), 6. Juvenile hawksbill turtle - (Brendan Godley) turtle hatchling (Brendan Godley), 11. Green turtle (Sue Ranger), 12. Satellite tagged loggerhead turtle (Janice Blumenthal)