Mark Dodd, senior wildlife biologist for the state DNR, says 1,761 loggerhead nests were reported from May through October. The number surpasses the previous record, set in 2008, by more than 100 nests.
Dodd says it's a a hopeful sign for the endangered species. Dodd says there were several factors that made this season successful.
Emily Walker, night patrol team leader for the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, says a light ordinance that went into effect in May on Jekyll Island improved conditions for the nesting sea turtles. Hotels, beach front homes and businesses facing areas where turtles nested were required to use special lights with short wave lengths during nesting months. This decreased the chance of the turtles becoming disoriented. Dodd says “In addition to having a large number of nests, the other thing that made it such a great nesting season was the lack of tropical storm systems. One of the environmental factors that reduce hatchling success is tropical storm activity. Water will wash over the nest and the embryo won’t develop then we get a lot of mortality.” Dodd said there was a statewide hatchling success rate of 68%.
Information from: The Brunswick News, http://www.thebrunswicknews.com
and Good Weather Helps Sea Turtle Nests By Courtney Ward
http://www.gpb.org/news/2010/11/08/good-weather-helps-sea-turtle-nests
No comments:
Post a Comment