Green sea turtles nest at unprecedented pace in Florida this year
The number of green sea turtle nests in Florida this year was more than double the count of the previous highest year. Biologists with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) have documented more than 25,000 green turtle nests on 26 index beaches in the state in 2013.
“We are astounded and pleased by the high number of green turtle nests documented in 2013,” said Dr. Blair Witherington, FWC research scientist. “It looks like the years of conservation efforts for this endangered species are paying off.”
FWC-trained and authorized surveyors across the state monitor nests on a set of index beaches that span nearly 250 miles and are the focus of the Index Beach Nesting Survey. These surveys began in 1989. Index surveyors follow firm counting guidelines, making it possible for FWC researchers to use the data from these beaches to identify trends.
The trend for green turtles shows an exponential increase in nesting over the past 25 years. In 1989, biologists documented only 464 green turtle nests on index beaches. In 2013, this index nest count was 25,553. The index count represents about 70 percent of green turtle nesting statewide.
Leatherback sea turtle nest counts have also risen dramatically over the past quarter century. However, the 2013 count of 322 leatherback nests on index beaches was 193 lower than last year.
Loggerhead sea turtles, the most prevalent sea turtle species on Florida’s shores, accounted for 44,810 nests on index beaches this year, down from 2012’s near-record count of 58,172 nests. Although this federally threatened species nests on the same beaches as green turtles and leatherbacks, loggerheads have not shown the recovery in numbers seen in nesting by the other two species. The high level of loggerhead nesting last year followed a pronounced drop in the species’ nest counts between 1998 and 2007.
Hundreds of surveyors from conservation organizations, universities and federal, state and local governments – along with other volunteers – make possible the extensive data collection on Florida’s nesting sea turtles. In conjunction with the Index Nesting Beach Survey, the Statewide Nesting Beach Survey documents sea turtle nesting on nearly all sandy beaches in Florida. Data from the statewide surveys will be available in early 2014.
The FWC's role in coordinating Florida’s sea turtle nest counts, training surveyors and compiling data is funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and sales of the state's sea turtle license plate. Florida residents can purchase the plate to support these efforts at BuyaPlate.com.
For more information about trends in sea turtle nest counts, visit MyFWC.com/Research, click on "Wildlife," then click on "Nesting" under the "Sea Turtle" heading. Report sick or injured sea turtles to the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).
2012 Data by County
Kwa mfano, idadi ya kamba za baharini za kijani katika Florida ni mara mbili ya idadi ya kamba za baharini za kijani katika Florida. Wataalamu wa Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) wamegundua kwamba kuna zaidi ya makundi 25,000 ya kasa wa kijani kwenye fukwe 26 za Florida. "Tunashangazwa na kufurahi na idadi kubwa ya viota vya kasa wa kijani vilivyoandikwa katika 2013, ""alisema Dk Blair Witherington, mwanasayansi wa utafiti wa FWC." "Imeonekana kama miaka ya juhudi za uhifadhi kwa spishi hii inayokabiliwa na kutoweka ni kulipa. ""FWC mafunzo na mamlaka wapimaji katika jimbo kufuatilia viota juu ya seti ya index fukwe ambayo span karibu maili 250 na ni lengo la Index Beach Nesting Survey." Uchunguzi huo ulianza mwaka wa 1989. Kwa mujibu wa utafiti wa utafiti wa FWC, watafiti wa bahari wanafuata miongozo ya uhasibu, na hivyo wanaweza kutumia data kutoka pwani hizi kutambua mwenendo. Kwa mfano, kwa miaka 25 iliyopita, idadi ya kasa wa kijani imekua kwa kasi sana. Katika mwaka wa 1989, wataalamu wa viumbe walipata mabwawa 464 tu ya kasa wa kijani kwenye fuo za pwani. Katika mwaka wa 2013, idadi ya kiota cha index ilikuwa 25,553. Kwa mujibu wa ripoti hiyo, asilimia 70 ya kasa wa kijani wanaofanya viota katika jimbo hilo. Idadi ya viota vya kasa wa baharini pia imeongezeka sana katika robo karne iliyopita. Hata hivyo, idadi ya viota vya leatherback 322 katika fukwe za Index ilikuwa chini ya 193 kuliko mwaka jana. Kamba za baharini za Loggerhead, aina ya kamba ya baharini inayopatikana zaidi kwenye pwani ya Florida, zilijumuisha viota 44,810 kwenye fukwe za index mwaka huu, chini ya rekodi ya karibu ya rekodi ya 2012 ya viota 58,172. Ingawa aina hii ya kiumbe inaishi kwenye fukwe sawa na kasa wa kijani na leatherback, loggerheads haijaonyesha kupona kwa idadi ya wanyama wanaoonekana katika makundi ya aina nyingine mbili. Kiwango cha juu cha kuzaliana kwa loggerhead mwaka jana kilifuata kupungua kwa idadi ya viota vya spishi kati ya 1998 na 2007. Mamia ya wapimaji kutoka mashirika ya uhifadhi, vyuo vikuu na serikali za shirikisho, jimbo na mitaa - pamoja na wajitoleaji wengine - hufanya iwezekane ukusanyaji mkubwa wa data juu ya kasa wa bahari wa Florida. Pamoja na Utafiti wa Pwani ya Index Nesting, Utafiti wa Pwani ya Nesting ya Jimbo lote unarekodi kiota cha kasa wa bahari karibu kwenye fukwe zote za mchanga huko Florida. Takwimu za uchunguzi huo zitapatikana mapema mwaka huu. FWC inashirikiana na Florida katika kuandaa hesabu ya kiota cha kasa wa bahari, mafunzo ya wapimaji na kukusanya data. Huduma ya Samaki na Wanyamapori na mauzo ya sahani ya leseni ya kasa wa bahari wa jimbo. Wakazi wa Florida wanaweza kununua sahani ili kuunga mkono juhudi hizi kwenye BuyaPlate.com. Kwa maelezo zaidi kuhusu idadi ya kiota cha kasa wa baharini, tembelea MyFWCA (www.myfwca.com) na bonyeza kwenye 'Wildlife' kisha bonyeza 'Nesting' chini ya kichwa cha 'Sea Turtles'. Kwa wale ambao wamepata majeraha ya kibiashara, wasiliana na Kituo cha Usalama wa Wanyamapori cha FWC kwa 888-404-3922. 2012 data kwa County