the first sea turtle nesting season after the 2010 BP oil spill was
after the 2010 BP oil spill was
after the 2010 BP oil spill was contained is underway in the northern
contained is underway in the northern
contained is underway in the northern Gulf of Mexico and biologists and turtle
Gulf of Mexico and biologists and turtle
Gulf of Mexico and biologists and turtle conservation groups report a good
conservation groups report a good
conservation groups report a good nesting season so far
nesting season so far
nesting season so far last summer as the ruptured well spewed
last summer as the ruptured well spewed
last summer as the ruptured well spewed an estimated 5 million barrels of oil
an estimated 5 million barrels of oil
an estimated 5 million barrels of oil into the Gulf scientists and volunteers
into the Gulf scientists and volunteers
into the Gulf scientists and volunteers launched a risky rescue moving fragile
launched a risky rescue moving fragile
launched a risky rescue moving fragile turtle eggs away from the oil danger
turtle eggs away from the oil danger
turtle eggs away from the oil danger biologists and volunteers removed about
biologists and volunteers removed about
biologists and volunteers removed about 28,000 eggs
28,000 eggs
28,000 eggs mostly loggerhead turtles from Alabama
mostly loggerhead turtles from Alabama
mostly loggerhead turtles from Alabama and Florida’s panhandle to NASA’s
and Florida’s panhandle to NASA’s
and Florida’s panhandle to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center the goal was to
Kennedy Space Center the goal was to
Kennedy Space Center the goal was to spare the vulnerable hatchlings an
spare the vulnerable hatchlings an
spare the vulnerable hatchlings an encounter with the oil
the tiny turtles were not tagged so no
the tiny turtles were not tagged so no one really knows where they are now and
one really knows where they are now and
one really knows where they are now and if they were spotted they couldn’t be
if they were spotted they couldn’t be
if they were spotted they couldn’t be accurately identified
back on the Gulf Coast it’s nesting
back on the Gulf Coast it’s nesting season once again
season once again
season once again and conservation groups like Alabama’s
and conservation groups like Alabama’s
and conservation groups like Alabama’s share the beach are finding new nests
share the beach are finding new nests
share the beach are finding new nests almost daily and encouraging sign but
almost daily and encouraging sign but
almost daily and encouraging sign but they caution not to read too much into
they caution not to read too much into
they caution not to read too much into the fines the nest looked normal the
the fines the nest looked normal the
the fines the nest looked normal the turtle seemed normal so all in all it
turtle seemed normal so all in all it
turtle seemed normal so all in all it seems like it’s a pretty good year of
seems like it’s a pretty good year of
seems like it’s a pretty good year of course the turtles that are nesting this
course the turtles that are nesting this
course the turtles that are nesting this year or not the turtles that nested last
year or not the turtles that nested last
year or not the turtles that nested last year turtles nest every other year or
year turtles nest every other year or
year turtles nest every other year or thereabout and so these turtles nested
thereabout and so these turtles nested
thereabout and so these turtles nested two years ago what we really be
two years ago what we really be
two years ago what we really be interested in seeing is a year from now
interested in seeing is a year from now
interested in seeing is a year from now when last year’s turtles that were here
when last year’s turtles that were here
when last year’s turtles that were here during the earth build it had the
during the earth build it had the
during the earth build it had the greatest effect from the oil come back
greatest effect from the oil come back
greatest effect from the oil come back and nest on our beaches next and next
and nest on our beaches next and next
and nest on our beaches next and next year every morning share the beach
year every morning share the beach
year every morning share the beach volunteers comb Alabama’s coast just as
volunteers comb Alabama’s coast just as
volunteers comb Alabama’s coast just as they’ve done every nesting season since
they’ve done every nesting season since
they’ve done every nesting season since 2001 looking for the tell-tale signs of
2001 looking for the tell-tale signs of
2001 looking for the tell-tale signs of a turtle nest crawl marks in churned up
a turtle nest crawl marks in churned up
a turtle nest crawl marks in churned up area near a nest site and biologists are
area near a nest site and biologists are
area near a nest site and biologists are doing a study as part of the natural
doing a study as part of the natural
doing a study as part of the natural resource damage assessment attaching
resource damage assessment attaching
resource damage assessment attaching satellite tags to incoming mother
satellite tags to incoming mother
satellite tags to incoming mother turtles to monitor their movements
when the patrol spot a fresh mess too
when the patrol spot a fresh mess too close to the waterline they move the
close to the waterline they move the
close to the waterline they move the eggs before they set and become more
eggs before they set and become more
eggs before they set and become more sensitive to movement they carefully put
sensitive to movement they carefully put
sensitive to movement they carefully put the eggs in a new nest and cordon it off
the eggs in a new nest and cordon it off
the eggs in a new nest and cordon it off we probably have less than 50 nesting
we probably have less than 50 nesting
we probably have less than 50 nesting sea turtles well here in Alabama and so
sea turtles well here in Alabama and so
sea turtles well here in Alabama and so just losing a few of them is a big deal
just losing a few of them is a big deal
just losing a few of them is a big deal in neighboring Mississippi the Institute
in neighboring Mississippi the Institute
in neighboring Mississippi the Institute of marine mammal studies is running its
of marine mammal studies is running its
of marine mammal studies is running its own satellite tagging studies that
own satellite tagging studies that
own satellite tagging studies that follow the movements of Kemp’s ridley
follow the movements of Kemp’s ridley
follow the movements of Kemp’s ridley Turtles ìiím MS executive director moby
Turtles ìiím MS executive director moby
Turtles ìiím MS executive director moby szilágyi reports some causes for concern
szilágyi reports some causes for concern
szilágyi reports some causes for concern about the gulfs recovery this spring he
about the gulfs recovery this spring he
about the gulfs recovery this spring he saw a 20 to 30 fold increase in dolphin
saw a 20 to 30 fold increase in dolphin
saw a 20 to 30 fold increase in dolphin deaths
deaths
deaths most of them baby dolphins and this was
most of them baby dolphins and this was
most of them baby dolphins and this was months after officials stopped the flow
months after officials stopped the flow
months after officials stopped the flow of leaking oil as we thought things that
of leaking oil as we thought things that
of leaking oil as we thought things that stabilized there was this big jump in
stabilized there was this big jump in
stabilized there was this big jump in the dolphin mortality more so being just
the dolphin mortality more so being just
the dolphin mortality more so being just the babies and that started stabilizing
the babies and that started stabilizing
the babies and that started stabilizing in March and early April as that
in March and early April as that
in March and early April as that stabilized we saw a huge jump in the
stabilized we saw a huge jump in the
stabilized we saw a huge jump in the turtle mortalities and just to give you
turtle mortalities and just to give you
turtle mortalities and just to give you a comparison in the entire last year we
a comparison in the entire last year we
a comparison in the entire last year we saw about 299 turtles had died as of
saw about 299 turtles had died as of
saw about 299 turtles had died as of today we have 236 turtles dead with half
today we have 236 turtles dead with half
today we have 236 turtles dead with half the year still ahead the numbers are
the year still ahead the numbers are
the year still ahead the numbers are expected to grow that these deaths are
expected to grow that these deaths are
expected to grow that these deaths are result of the spill cannot be said
result of the spill cannot be said
result of the spill cannot be said definitively but Solanki and other
definitively but Solanki and other
definitively but Solanki and other researchers will be working to learn
researchers will be working to learn
researchers will be working to learn more about the spills impact on turtles
more about the spills impact on turtles
more about the spills impact on turtles and other creatures as far as the fate
and other creatures as far as the fate
and other creatures as far as the fate of the little turtles released last year
of the little turtles released last year
of the little turtles released last year translocation of the nest eggs was an
translocation of the nest eggs was an
translocation of the nest eggs was an adequate move whether to succeed or not
adequate move whether to succeed or not
adequate move whether to succeed or not it was more of a heartwarming and hard
it was more of a heartwarming and hard
it was more of a heartwarming and hard tugging way of doing things the only way
tugging way of doing things the only way
tugging way of doing things the only way we can say was scientific as if we were
we can say was scientific as if we were
we can say was scientific as if we were able to recover or tag and follow and
able to recover or tag and follow and
able to recover or tag and follow and see where they went an ominous right we
see where they went an ominous right we
see where they went an ominous right we will never know that and until then
will never know that and until then
will never know that and until then it’ll always be an enigma
it’ll always be an enigma
it’ll always be an enigma back in Alabama volunteers carry on
back in Alabama volunteers carry on
back in Alabama volunteers carry on knowing they could be helping save an
knowing they could be helping save an
knowing they could be helping save an endangered species people realized that
endangered species people realized that
endangered species people realized that this Beach is more than just a wonderful
this Beach is more than just a wonderful
this Beach is more than just a wonderful place to come sunbathe and fish and hang
place to come sunbathe and fish and hang
place to come sunbathe and fish and hang out you know it isn’t a critical habitat
out you know it isn’t a critical habitat
out you know it isn’t a critical habitat not just important but a critical
not just important but a critical
not just important but a critical habitat for an important very important
habitat for an important very important
habitat for an important very important species and endangered species you see
species and endangered species you see
species and endangered species you see turtle they cannot survive without this
turtle they cannot survive without this
turtle they cannot survive without this Beach they have to nest on these beaches
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