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a32 local
Monday 10 august 2020

911 Sea Turtle Rescue

ORANJESTAD — Thursday morn- earlier, in 1993, a Sea Turtle Re- still complied with today. the loss of nesting beaches due to
ing Turtugaruba volunteer Miguel covery Action Plan (STRAP) was coastal development on behalf of
encountered a green turtle lost introduced in Aruba and the rest There are 4 different sea turtle spe- tourism. Because coastal devel-
on land, wandering over painful of the Caribbean as an initiative cies that visit Aruba to lay their opment comes with artificial light
rocks. It was not possible to guide of the United Nations Environment eggs, each with their own specific and artificial light is a mayor issue
her back to the sea. Foundation Program (UNEP). Tom Barmes, who season: for sea turtles, mother turtle usually
Turtugaruba called for assistance was working at DLVV (Deptart- – Leatherback Sea Turtle – Leder- comes on shore at night looking
and the Aruba Fire Department ment of Agriculture, Husbandry schildpad – Driekiel (March – Sep- for a dark beach to make her nest.
responded. Together they man- and Fishery) was one of the writers tember) However… a dark beach is hard to
aged to help the turtle return into of the STRAP for Aruba, together – Loggerhead Sea Turtle – Dikkop- find here nowadays. Light causes
the ocean. with Karen Eckert, director of WIDE- schildpad – Cawama (May – Sep- stress and can result in her returning
CAST (Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle tember) to the sea without laying her eggs.
Turtugaruba was founded on Sep- Conservation Network). This is how – Hawksbill Sea Turtle – Karetschil- Artificial light causes disorientation
tember 3rd, 2003 by a group of sea turtle conservation started on dpad – Caret (June – December) for the baby sea turtles (hatch-
enthusiastic volunteers. Ten years the island following a plan that is – Green Turtle – Soepschildpad – lings). Despite the threats that exist
Turtuga Blanco (July-November) on Aruba, the turtles still keep com-
ing. That’s why today Turtugaruba
There also came a better under- is especially proud of the volun-
standing and overview of the big- teers and the many people and or-
gest threats to the sea turtles ex- ganizations of our community that
istence in Aruba and how these carry a warm place in their hearts
problems should be tackled. De- for the sea turtles. All four species
spite hard work, all those years, are active now, which means all
most problems have not really hands on deck in the field for us,
gone away, but luckily and thanks the volunteers. We strive to keep
to the enormous efforts from the the sea turtles, our oldest ‘repeat
volunteers, the sea turtles are still guests’, always coming back to
here. On Aruba the sea turtles Aruba and get the chance to re-
are threatened with extinction by produce here. For more informa-
pollution, driving on dunes and tion have a look at the Facebook
beaches with quads and 4×4’s and page Turtugaruba. q