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For the Love of Turtles, Slow Down!

By Teresa Shumaker

May and June is the height of nesting season for the Kemp’s ridley sea turtle on Texas and Mexican beaches. The adult sea turtle’s shell is pale and can easily blend in with the sand, which makes it imperative that drivers on the beach obey the 15 m.p.h. speed limit on the county beaches.

It takes a lot of energy for sea turtles, which are not adapted for land, to traverse the beach beyond the high-tide line to lay their eggs. Because of that, it can take a while for a sea turtle to cross the beach, and sometimes they can stop in the middle of the sandy road to catch their breath.

Kemp's ridleys are unique amongst sea turtles; they are the only ones who nest during the day. But Atlantic greens and loggerheads — who are night-time nesters — sometimes nest on SPI beaches, too. It is equally important to exercise caution both day and night.

Sea Turtle, Inc. has patrollers scanning 50 miles of South Texas beaches to find, then to relocate the nests to a protected corral, away from predators.

The public plays a big part in the stewardship of this endangered species by driving safely and slowly on the beaches, and alerting STI when they see a nesting sea turtle (or any sea turtle on land).

The fines for striking a sea turtle are steep, and if it is a mother Kemp’s ridley, the fine is multiplied for each turtle — the eggs are taken into account.

So far, 19 nests have been discovered and are estimated to begin hatching as early as June 15. When the nests get close to hatching, STI posts updates to its Facebook and Twitter accounts and sends emails to its members. To learn more about sea turtles, please visit Sea Turtle, Inc. on the island or online at www.seaturtleinc.org.

And remember, please drive slowly and if anyone sees a sea turtle on the beach, call Sea Turtle, Inc. at 956-761-4511.

Ivy goes home!

Ivy, a juvenile green sea turtle that was brought to Sea Turtle, Inc. for care in November was released by the good Samaritan who found her, Matthew Jones, and her volunteer keeper, Carol Gluntz!

When discovered, Ivy's left flipper was very weak and x-rays revealed a complete break. The bones in the flipper wouldn't set and by February the decision was made to amputate it.

Ivy recovered from surgery with flying colors and was fit enough to return to the wild! She is a strong swimmer and should
lead a very successful life! Good luck, Ivy!

Volunteer keeper, Carol Gluntz,

holds Ivy right before her release.
Allison Bleich photo.

Public Comment Now Open on Deepwater Horizon Proposed Restoration Projects

By Teresa Shumaker
Five years after the detrimental BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, restoration retribution is near. Deepwater Horizon Trustees are now accepting public comments until Friday, June 19, 2015, on “The Draft Phase IV Early Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessments” (Draft Plan) which consists of ten proposed Early Restoration Gulf Projects, totaling $134 million.

According to a press release from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, “Out of the $134 million estimated costs of Phase IV, about $126 million (94% of total) would be devoted to ecological projects and about $8 million (6% of total) would be devoted to projects that address lost recreational use.”

Early funds of $1 billion from BP will allow the Trustees to begin projects previously agreed by both the Deepwater Horizon Trustees and BP. If these ten projects are approved, the remaining $832 million will be spent.

One project is Sea Turtle Early Restoration that targets four key areas important to sea turtle conservation: nest detection, sea turtle rehabilitation, shrimp trawl bycatch, and fisheries bycatch. To learn more about the sea turtle project, go here: http://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/wp-content/uploads/150454_dwh_factsheet_seaturtle.pdf.

Please consider attending a meeting or writing a letter in support of the sea turtle restoration project, or any of the other nine projects.

The Ten Projects

• Osprey Restoration in Coastal Alabama – Baldwin and Mobile Counties, Alabama
• Point aux Pins Living Shoreline – Mobile County, Alabama
• Shell Belt and Coden Belt Roads Living Shoreline – Mobile County, Alabama
• Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge Trail Enhancement – Alabama
• Seagrass Recovery Project at Gulf Islands National Seashore – Florida District
• Bike and Pedestrian Use Enhancements at Davis Bayou, Gulf Islands National Seashore – Mississippi District
• Restoring Living Shorelines and Reefs in Mississippi Estuaries – Coastal Mississippi
• Texas Rookery Islands – Galveston Bay and East Matagorda Bay, Texas
• Sea Turtle Early Restoration Project – Gulf of Mexico
• Pelagic Longline Bycatch Reduction Project – Gulf of Mexico

To see the full draft plan, and learn more about the first three phases of Gulf restoration, go to http://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/. Printed copies of the drafts are at three libraries in Texas:
• Jack K. Williams Library, Texas A&M University at Galveston Texas A&M University/Galv. Building #3010, 200 Seawolf Pkwy, Galveston TX 77554
• Port Arthur Public Library 4615 9th Ave. Port Arthur, TX 77672
• Library Texas A&M Corpus Christi, 6300 Ocean Drive, Corpus Christi,TX 78412

Texas Meetings

Corpus Christi: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, June 11, at Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi, 6300 Ocean Drive Corpus Christi, TX 78412.

Galveston: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday, June 10, at Texas A&M University at Galveston Seawolf Parkway on Pelican Island Auditorium, Classroom Lab Building (Building #3007 on campus map) Galveston, TX 77554.

Unfortunately, there is no meeting scheduled for the Rio Grande Valley area. To see the full list of meetings along the Gulf, go to http://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/wp-content/uploads/TC_NewsRelease_PhaseIV_FINAL.pdf

If you cannot attend a meeting, but would like to make an online public comment, please go to https://parkplanning.nps.gov/nrda/ before Friday, June 19, 2015.

Or send a letter by mail to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 49567, Atlanta, GA 30345

YappoPalooza moves to South Padre Island

In 2010 a festival named YappoPalooza, was created in honor of the memory of Jeffrey “Yappo” Boruff. The festival, originally held in San Marcos, is a fundraiser for sea turtle conservation. This year, the reins of the event have been handed to Sea Turtle, Inc. and Yappopalooza has found a permanent home here on South Padre Island.

Jeffrey was a dedicated volunteer who made a real difference in the Bi-national Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle Project in Rancho Nuevo, Mexico. For many years, Jeffrey spent his free time traveling to Mexico to assist the Kemp’s ridley nest conservation and became one of the legendary unsung heroes that practice their passion to make a difference, without asking anything in return. YappoPalooza is not all about raising money for sea turtle conservation; it is a vehicle to share Jeffrey’s story and inspire the next generation(s) to give of themselves. They can make the world a better place and be better people because of it.

Please join us in remembering this young man’s dedication and help fundraise for an important cause!

When: Friday, June 19, from 7 p.m. to Midnight — Adult Activities

Saturday, June 20, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. — Family Activities

Where: South Padre Island Convention Center

What: Friday night will be fun for the adults with music from Ace Pepper Band, Costello, and a special appearance by comedian Raymond Orta. There will be beer, wine, bbq, silent auction, and fun tournaments like ladder toss and bean bag toss.

Saturday will be full of activities for the whole family. There will be a bouncy house, face painting, arts and crafts, a green screen photobooth from the Gladys Porter Zoo, the Yappo Shop, and more! There will also be live music by Ace PepperBand, The Drifter Kings, and The Agency. To learn more please visit www.yappopalooza.net.
To purchase tickets, go to https://seaturtleinc.webconnex.com/YappoPalooza

Recognition Corner: Elementary Schools

We would like to recognize three elementary schools that have raised a generous amount of funds for sea turtles.
The first is Wilson Elementary. The students raised $925 for Sea Turtle, Inc. $595 of that donation will go toward our Capital Campaign to expand our facility. Three students from Wilson Elementary presented the check to STI Educator Caitlin Bovery during a visit this month.
The second school is Lamar Elementary. Those students raised a whopping $2,000 for the sea turtles! Over half will go toward our Capital Campaign, as well.
The third school is Villareal Elementary. Students saved their change from their lunch money and donated a bag of change that added up to $134. Funds from this last donation will go to the care of sea turtles.
We are humbled to know that these young children care so much about sea turtles and a little bit at a time are making big difference.
We would like to give a big THANK YOU to each and every student that contributed to these donations!!!

ATV Sea Turtle Beach Patrol

Series 1 of 4
By Adrian Ramos of Texas Master Naturalists

Every year from April through August, the Kemp’s ridley sea turtles (the smallest and most endangered of all eight species of sea turtle) come ashore to lay their eggs. They are the only sea turtle to lay their eggs during the day, making the eggs often fall victims to predation from both humans and non-humans.

In preparation for this year’s nesting season, volunteer patrollers for Sea Turtle, Inc. received their Sea Turtle Patrol Orientation Briefing from the Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery of the Padre Island National Seashore and from Sea Turtle, Inc. The personnel attending generally include dozens of city and county workers and law enforcement as well as the volunteer patrollers. City and county workers are often in the best position to alert the STI response team that a nesting turtle, or tracks have been spotted. The presentations update the group on the history of the nesting turtles on North and South Padre Island, and how to look for signs of nests. Turtles camouflage very well on the beach especially when they covered with sand and partially buried.

In the coming months, volunteers will conduct walking patrols on city beaches, recognizable by their “Sea Turtle Patrol” shirts. Additionally, ATV patrols (up to 4 per day) will run from White Sands St. (The Tikis) for 32 miles, north to the Port Mansfield jetties.

If you see a sea turtle, please alert Sea Turtle, Inc. 956-761-4511. Please, do not crowd the turtle as it tries to come ashore and find a spot to nest — you may spook it and it will not nest. If it comes ashore, protect it from traffic, stay to the side, and do not step on its tracks if possible. Keep your eyes open and drive carefully on the beach.

Coming Soon: "Turtle Talks"

Every year, Sea Turtle, Inc. selects eight — this year nine! — college students and/or graduates as interns for the summer. The internships begin as early as March and last through August.

Each intern learns all the aspects of sea turtle conservation at Sea Turtle, Inc. and conducts a research project to contribute to sea turtle science.

In the upcoming weeks, we will be introducing one intern at a time in a special feature in the Parade and PI Press called “Turtle Talks.” Keep a look out and when you are visiting Sea Turtle, Inc. be sure to say hello to one of the many interns that will be buzzing around the facility!

Do you know we are trying to grow?

Years of contributions have enabled us to purchase five acres of adjacent property, and are in the middle of an ambitious 4 million dollar expansion. The design of this new development is to increase the scope of our mission.
We have outgrown our space and on busy days quickly meet our occupancy capacity, sometimes having to turn away groups.
The new facility will include a 4,000 sq.ft. educational building, a 234 seat amphitheater, large tanks for non-releasable turtles, and parking for over 40 cars.
Funds are beginning to accumulate and we will break ground on the new education center this year!
If you would like to donate to this project and have your name (or memorial) permanently displayed at STI's new facility, naming rights and donor opportunities start at $200 and are available online at www.seaturtleinc.org/help-our-cause/. Your donation is tax-deductible.

Upcoming Events

April thru July - Kemp's ridley nesting season
May 23 - World Turtle Day
June 8 - World Oceans Day
June 16 - World Sea Turtle Day
June 19 & 20 - Yappopalooza Festival celebrating World Sea Turtle Day
Hatchling releases will not begin until approximately 50 days after the first nest is discovered. To stay up-to-date on hatchling releases, become a member! Members get email and text message notifications for upcoming release. To become a member, click here: http://www.seaturtleinc.org/help-our-cause/become-a-member/

Sea Turtle, Inc. Wishlist

Running our center requires hundreds of small and inexpensive items that you may have on hand, or be willing to purchase. Below is a list of items we always need. Your support is appreciated at any level of giving. Please drop them off at our facility, or mail them to us.
• Small to medium cast nets.
• Batteries, AAA or AA.
• Gasoline Cards. We use over 1,000 gallons to patrol during nesting season.
• Chest Type Freezers. Any size.
• Vice Grips. Believe it or not, these are an ATV operator’s best friend if their ATV breaks down.
• Heavy duty adjustable wrenches. Since we work with salt water our wrenches are constantly rusting and needing to be replaced.
• Office Supply Cards: Each year, printing and laminating costs hundreds in supplies.
• Acid-free archive boxes.
• Neoprene wetsuits. We use neoprene to help pad areas for the turtles.
• PVC pipes, all sizes.
• Binders with rings intact.
• Bleach
• Go Pro camera and mounts

Board of Directors

Chairman — Shane Wilson
1st Vice Chair— Peggy Fritchey Trahan
2nd Vice Chair — Mr. Les Hodgson
Treasurer — Dr. John Butler
Secretary — Ms. Mary Laddis
Board Member — Dr. Patrick Burchfield
Board Member — Ms. Robin Farris
Board Member — Mr. Scott Boruff
Board Member — Mr. Robert Cackley
Board Member — Mrs. Carol DeMoss

Scientific Advisory Board

Chairman — Dr. Patrick Burchfield
Board member — Dr. Kimberly Herrin
Board member — Mr. Jack Woody
Board member — Dr. David Owens
Board member — Dr. Joe Flanagan
Board member — Dr. Rene Marquez Millan
Board member — Luis Jaime Pena
Board member — Wayne Witzell

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HELP THE CAUSE

You can help us build our new facility; all it takes is a small donation.

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Credits

Editor: Megan Chilcutt, PR & Marketing
megan.chilcutt@seaturtleinc.org
Publisher: Teresa Shumaker, PR & Marketing Asst.
teresa.shumaker@seaturtleinc.org