Sea turtles have inhabited the earth for millennia, roaming the planet’s waters and coming onto shore only to nest. While sea turtles spend much of their time in the open ocean, often following their food supply, they also spend much time in the nearshore ecosystems – the coral reefs and seagrass beds which provide them with an important source of food and protection. |
These habitats also act as nursery areas for hatchlings (baby sea turtles). On land, the beaches and sand dunes are used by female sea turtles as nesting areas. Female sea turtles dig their nests deep into the sand where their eggs will be protected and incubated.
Some of us have been lucky enough to have seen sea turtles up close, either in the water or nesting onshore. If you look closely enough, in Island Harbour where a rich seagrass bed grows, you can sometimes see green sea turtles poke their heads above the water’s surface as they fill their lungs with air before ducking back under waves and into the marine environment where they are most at ease. While we may think that there are many sea turtles in Anguilla’s and the world’s waters, sea turtle populations are in fact under extreme stress – so much so that the World Conservation Union (the International Union for the Conservation of Nature) has listed them as at least endangered. For the sea turtle species that are found in Anguilla’s waters – the Leatherback, Hawksbill, and green – the former two are listed as critically endangered while the latter is considered endangered. There are stories, however, from the time of Columbus, of boats being surrounded by hundreds of sea turtles at any one time – the Caribbean Sea was teeming with these creatures.
For populations to have declined so dramatically that their very existence on this planet is threatened is disturbing to say the least. Sea turtle populations have been directly and negatively impacted by the over-harvesting of adults and their eggs and this has undeniably led to a significant decline in their numbers. At the same time, however, loss of habitat has also contributed to their endangered status and, to an extent, limited their populations’ ability to recover. A Closer Look at the Critical Ecosystems The Importance of Coral Reefs As sensitive and fragile environments, coral reefs are being damaged at an alarming rate – in Anguilla and around the world. Some of the major negative impacts on coral reefs are from: The Importance of Seagrass Beds Similar to coral reefs, seagrass beds are also sensitive to changes in the waters that surround them – so much so that they are considered to be important indicators of the general health of coastal ecosystems. Beyond this, seagrass beds provide food, shelter, and nursery areas for commercial and recreational fish species and many types of invertebrates as well as for sea turtles. The extensive network of seagrass roots that run under the sea bottom prevents predators from digging too deep and from preying on organisms that bury themselves in the sandy ground. The roots also prevent erosion of the sea bottom by keeping the sand compact and in place. Similar to coral reefs, however, seagrass beds are also being threatened, with the most serious threats being: • Water pollution. Importance of Beaches and Sand Dunes Both beaches and sand dunes are dynamic: they are structures that are constantly changing in shape and size, depending on the amount of sand deposition (which increases their size) and erosion (which decreases their size). Beaches and sand dunes are an important part of the interconnected coastal system: they act as natural buffers against eroding wave action; function as filters of sediment and bacteria found in the water that passes through them; provide nesting, feeding, and resting habitat for many different species of birds, invertebrates, and reptiles (including the endangered sea turtles); and are used for recreation by more people (residents and tourists alike) than any other habitat found on the island. Beaches and sand dunes are especially sensitive to human-based stressors, including: Ecosystem Conservation For more information about the ASCG, its activities, or what you can do to help protect Anguilla’s sea turtles, please contact Ms Janeczka Richardson, ASCG Coordinator, at axascg@hotmail.comor at 497 5297 / 729 9443. |