Last week, volunteers with the Cayman Islands Department of Environment were on a regular beach monitoring excursion when they came across a large green female sea turtle trapped in a swimming pool.
A Facebook post from the DoE said the turtle was found in a pool at Rum Point, a city on the islands known for its beachfront resort, watersports, and relaxing pools.
But it was anything but relaxing for the 400-pound turtle, which had to be lifted from the pool by conservation officials and members of the islands’ “Turtle Team.”
Team members analyze the turtle before setting her free. Courtesy of Simon Waitland/Cayman Islands Department of Environment
“Getting a 400-pound turtle safely out of a swimming pool is no small feat,” the Facebook post from the DoE said, “but the team removed her, checked and tagged her, and released her back to sea.”
Fortunately, the turtle wasn’t in ill health, but the rescue was dramatic, and unfortunately, not all that unusual during nesting season.
“Female turtles come ashore at night to nest. Artificial light on the beach, or the removal of natural coastal vegetation, can leave them disoriented and cause them to crawl into developed areas instead of returning to the sea,” the Facebook post explained.
The turtle stuck in the pool. Courtesy of Stephanie Gunby/Cayman Islands Department of Environment
“If they reach a swimming pool with its edge at ground level, they can fall in and become trapped.”
This is what rescuers believe happened to this particular turtle.
And it’s not just a problem for nesting turtles — artificial light can also lead their hatchlings astray.
Baby sea turtles have an instinctive “sea finding” behavior, which helps them crawl toward the lowest and brightest horizon, usually the ocean reflecting moon and starlight.
The turtle returns to the beach. Courtesy of Indira Macias/Cayman Islands Department of Environment
But artificial light sources from development on the beach, or flashlights, can interrupt this process and redirect the turtles from where they need to go.
The DoE reminded beachfront properties to help protect nesting turtles by doing the following:
- Retaining and restoring native coastal vegetation
- Reducing artificial light visible from the beach
- Moving beach furniture and small watercrafts off the active beach overnight
- Designing new elevated pools or installing effective barriers around ground-level pools
- Never leaving ground-level pools empty or without suitable fencing during nesting season
Beach-goers and tourists can also do their part to protect sea turtles during nesting season, including keeping beaches flat and easy to navigate and reducing their own sources of artificial light.
“This turtle is safely back at sea,” the DoE reported. “Practical beachfront management can help keep more nesting turtles out of danger.”
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Featured image courtesy of Stephanie Gunby/Cayman Islands Department of Environment
