Over one million sea turtles die each year and are on their way to extinction primarily due to pollution, loss of habitat, fishers, and climate change. Florida is successfully fighting to prevent this at locations like John D. MacArthur State Park and the Loggerhead Marine Life Center in North Palm Beach, Florida.
In the past 25 years, the sea turtle population has increased. In 2000, there were between 6 and 10 million turtles worldwide, and today there are between 8 and 15 million. At Loggerhead Marine Life Center and John D. Macarthur State Park, employees work to restore the homes of sea turtles, assist in the nesting and hatching process, and nurse them back to health to the best of their ability.
MacArthur State Park has worked to preserve the lives of sea turtles since their founding in 1989. Alaina Miller, a park ranger, has spent the last six years committed to this. Miller, originally from Michigan, has had a lifelong interest in marine biology.
Miller explained that sea turtle conservation— the act of protecting sea turtles and their habitats—is a lengthy process. Sea turtles' life expectancy ranges from 60 to 150 years, meaning they do not mature until around 25 to 30 years old. Once a sea turtle reaches maturity, it can begin to lay eggs. The results seen today are from conservation that took place 30 years ago.
“Sea turtle conservation is a very long-term goal,” said Miller.
In an attempt to aid sea turtle preservation, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commitment and the National Marine Fisheries Service enacted a law requiring fisher boats to have a Turtle Excluder Device or a TED. Sea turtles run the risk of getting caught in fishing nets which causes them to drown. A TED is a heavy trap door that sea turtles can escape through, ensuring their survival.
Just a few miles down the road from John Macarthur is Loggerhead Marinelife Center. While John Macarthur aids in the birth and preservation of sea turtles, the Loggerhead Marine Life Center serves as a hospital for the injured and diseased.
Loggerhead Marinelife Center currently has 32 sea turtle patients. They care for them throughout the day by performing checkups, cleaning their tanks, and feeding them. As time goes on, the veterinarians determine whether the turtle will be releasable or not. In order for a turtle to qualify to be released, their shells must be void of fractions, they run tests to determine whether they’re healthy enough to be on their own, and lastly make sure they are of healthy weight.
Christopher LeTourneau, who works at the Loggerhead Marinelife Center shared a story about a turtle of significance to him. The sea turtle Dora was found by the Port Saint Lucie Inwater Research group. She was severely tangled in a type of fishin net. LeTourneau explained that he was there to watch the hospital help Dora by taking off the netting.
“Watching Dora go through rehabilitation to later be released is one of my favorite LMC moments,” LeTourneau said.
By Avenlea Medina