A record 858 turtle nests were recorded this year, the highest total since the Department of Environment starting logging statistics in 1998.
The previous high of 689 nests was recorded in 2017, and this year’s numbers also represented a 54% increase over the overall total in 2021, according to Department of Environment statistics released Tuesday.
“We are excited to report that it has been a record sea turtle nesting season,” the DoE said in a post on Tuesday on its official Facebook page.
Green sea turtles recorded the sharpest increase, with 528 nests found this year, compared to 180 in 2021, according to the DoE.
The 324 loggerhead nests this year represented a slight decrease on the 350 recorded last year.
Hawksbill nests remained unchanged at six.
Cayman’s 2022 turtle nesting season kicked off early following the discovery of the first loggerhead nest on 1 April. That discovery set the pace for the nesting season this year.
The total also represented a flip in which species had the highest numbers as green turtles took over the top spot from loggerheads.
In explaining the difference in numbers, the DoE said as turtles nest every two to three years there is a degree of natural variation in the annual nesting totals.
“Also, the number of nests does not reflect the number of nesting turtles, as each female can lay up to 8 nests in the season. So, though the Cayman Islands nesting population is increasing, the number of nesting females is still low and many anthropogenic [caused by human activity] threats remain in place,” it added.
The DoE said it was extremely grateful to all the volunteers, interns and staff that “make the turtle programme a success”.
This year, the turtle team was kept busy as they rescued hatchlings and mother turtles that found themselves in trouble over the season.
Cayman’s Turtle Nesting Stats
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
Green 344
172
433
353
180
528
Loggerhead 332
232
238
197
350
324
Hawksbill 13
5
4
7
1
6
Total nests 689
409
1
675
557
858
There were some unfortunate incidents this year as well.
A critically endangered loggerhead turtle was taken by poachers from a beach on Cayman Brac in July.
The turtle was taken as she came out of the water to nest, the DoE said, and she has not been recovered.
This year, the DoE told the Compass, there were 31 nests in which hatchling misorientation occurred due to lighting.
Among those was a nest of at least 25 hatchlings, misoriented by condo lights, that failed to find their way to the sea in August.
After the DoE was alerted to the situation, a small number of the turtles were recovered, but most died.
“Only around 1 in 1,000 endangered baby sea turtles make it to adulthood so they need all the support they can get,” the DoE said in a statement following the incident, as it called for property owners to upgrade to turtle-friendly lighting.
This lighting is not mandatory; however, commenters on the DoE’s post on this latest incident have called for immediate action due to the situation with the hatchlings.
Back in 2019, the lights were proposed as a mandatory requirement in the draft Sea Turtle Conservation Plan from the National Conservation Council. At present that plan is with Cabinet.
To find out more about turtle-friendly lighting, email [email protected].
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