Water Authority workers saved a number of baby sea turtles that got confused by artificial lighting and ended up on Seaview Road in East End on Monday night.
According to a social media post from the Department of Environment, the workers “followed advice to carefully collect and release them”.
Department of Environment staff later located the sea turtles’ nest on the beach and after excavating it, they confirmed it was a rare hawksbill sea turtle nest.
“It was one of the largest hawksbill nests ever recorded in Cayman with 215 eggs, 202 of which had hatched,” the Department of Environment release stated.
Unfortunately, the environmental agency also confirmed two hatchlings were located that obviously had headed off in the wrong direction and perished before they could find their way to the sea. They believe many more shared the same fate.
“This highlights the urgent need to make our coastal areas safe for sea turtles by reducing bright lighting near beaches and/or switching to turtle-friendly lighting,” the Department of Environment said.
“We do not know the location of every nest so we’re unable to protect unknown nests like this one.”
Hawksbills are critically endangered worldwide. Fewer than 10 hawksbill nests are recorded in the Cayman Islands each year, with the majority of nesting turtles being either green or loggerhead sea turtles.
The DoE thanked the Water Authority workers for rescuing the endangered hawksbill hatchlings they found in the road. The department reminded members of the public to call the 24-hour Turtle Hotline on 938-NEST (938-6378) or contact DoE’s chief conservation officer on 916-4271 if they come across sea turtles or hatchlings in distress or danger.
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This is what our government should be protecting instead of what they are doing now. Develop and build more roads.