Endangered Sea Turtles Found Nesting in Louisiana for the First Time in 75 Years
A new discovery reveals sea turtles are returning to the shores of Louisiana's Gulf Coast.
Wild sea turtle hatchlings were spotted on Louisiana’s Chandeleur Islands for the first time in nearly a century.
The Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) and Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) discovered numerous hatchlings of the endangered Kemp’s ridley turtles in the Breton National Wildlife Refuge on Wednesday; and have cited increased protection and restoration efforts in the area as the leading cause.
“Louisiana was largely written off as a nesting spot for sea turtles decades ago, but this determination demonstrates why barrier island restoration is so important,” CRPA Chairman Chip Kline stated in a press release.
“As we develop and implement projects statewide, we are always keeping in mind what’s needed to preserve our communities and enhance wildlife habitat. Having this knowledge now allows us to make sure these turtles and other wildlife return to our shores year after year,” he explained.
According to the release, CPRA and LDWF have closely monitored the Chandeleur Islands since May, as part of an effort to design a project that will restore the islands after they were impacted by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill and countless tropical weather systems over the years.
Officials also said this not only proves that conservation efforts can work, but that this discovery will help shape future restoration plans for the island to ensure that the sea turtle nesting habitat is preserved and improved.
“It is well known that the Chandeleur Islands provide key habitats for a host of important species; however, with the recent discovery of a successful Kemp’s ridley sea turtle hatching, the islands’ value to the region has been elevated,” LDWF Secretary Jack Montoucet said in the release.
Montoucet continued: “We are gaining a better understanding of the benefits this barrier island restoration may provide in the recovery of this endangered species across the Gulf of Mexico.”
CPRA Executive Director Bren Haase also added, "We have a responsibility to protect the wildlife here, and that means creating safe and nourishing environments for these turtles and other animals that call Louisiana home. It’s an exciting discovery, and we hope to see additional hatchlings emerging in the weeks and years to come"
According to the official statement, this finding is the first known observation of wild sea turtle hatchlings on the Chandeleur Islands in at least 75 years. So far more than 53 sea turtle crawls have been documented and two live hatchlings have been observed making their way to the water.
The peak of sea turtle nesting season is June through July with young hatching 50 to 60 days later, so as monitoring continues and more hatchlings begin to emerge from their nests, researchers suggested that there may be even more baby sea turtles spotted at the site over the next couple of weeks.
The report also states that in addition to Kemp’s ridley sea turtles, loggerhead sea turtles are also nesting on the islands–both species of sea turtles that are Federally listed; the Kemp’s ridley are endangered and loggerheads are threatened.
USFWS Regional Director Leopoldo Miranda-Castro explained that the return of Louisiana's sea turtle populations are a direct result of conservation efforts and prove that even after catastrophe, nature is resilient as long as it's respected.
“We’ve worked hard with our partners to restore wildlife and habitat in the Gulf of Mexico since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill through planning and implementing numerous projects, including on the Chandeleur Islands. The discovery of sea turtles nesting and successfully hatching is a huge step forward demonstrating the amazing resilience of fish and wildlife resources, including threatened and endangered species, and the importance of restoring these barrier islands to protect humans and nature."
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