Page 13 - ARUBA TODAY

A13
LOCAL Tuesday 16 May 2017

The Leatherback Turtle Season has Started on Aruba!

Beach Villa’s. You can find lay her eggs on the beach
a lot of information on this where she herself was
sign. born. She does not lay just
The Leatherback Sea Turtle one nest, but repeat the
(Dermochelyscoriacea) egg laying every 8-12 days

with an average of seven
nests per season. The eggs
need 60 – 70 days of incu-
bation, so it will take about
two months to see the little
hatchings leaving the nest.
Last year a total of 20 nests
were counted on Eagle
Beach, laid by just two dif-
ferent females. Those two
did a splendid job, above
the average. But in gen-
eral 2016 was not a very
abundant Leatherback
nesting year, not here on
Aruba and neither in the
rest of the Caribbean re-
gion. Let’s see what 2017
will bring us!
Leatherbacks can be
found not only at Eagle
Beach/Low Rise area, but
EAGLE BEACH – Recently is the largest of the seven also at other sandy beach-
the first Leatherback nest species of sea turtles living es like Arashi, Andicuri,
of this year was found on in the world’s oceans to- Boca Grandi.
the beach in front of Am- day. Aruba is proud to wel- If you find tracks/activity of
sterdam Manor and as we come these magnificent a sea turtle on the beach,
can see on the Driekiel-O- animals every year. They please call the Turtle Ho-
Meter sign there are two are the oldest “repeat tline as soon as possible.
nests now. The Leather- guests” of the island. Thanks!
back Sea Turtle is locally The Leatherback Sea Turtle More info:
called Driekiel, hence the does not live in the Carib- turtugaruba@hotmail.
name Driekiel-O-Meter for bean Sea, but in the North- comwww.facebook.com/
the big sign placed along ern part of the Atlantic Turtugaruba
the Boulevard at Eagle Ocean. Every 2-4 years the Turtle Hotline (297) 592-
Beach, in front of Paradise adult female will return to 9393.q