Turtle Journal

Male Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus), Naples, FL

For turtle researchers (and Turtle Journal), March can be the cruelest month as we wait for our local turtle species to rise from long winter brumation.  The perfect fix is a trip to the Florida Gulf Coast and a visit with these tank-like gopher tortoises.

Vanderbilt Beach in Mid-March

As Turtle Journal’s Sue Wieber Nourse walked Vanderbilt Beach in Naples this week and enjoyed the beauty of the Gulf Coast’s wildlife, she encountered a fabulous male gopher tortoise preparing for the spring season.

Male Gopher Tortoise Plastron

A middle aged turtle of size and stature, he was still a bit chilled by the front that had passed through Florida the end of last week. 

Left Rear Ped of Male Gopher Tortoise

The close up of his left rear pad made us wonder how different it would be dealing with specimens of this bulk during our research season here in the Great White North.

Ritz Carlton’s Natures Wonders

Just down the beach from where this gopher tortoise resides in the literally “richest” turtle property in the world, Sue spotted a new addition at the Ritz Carlton’s Natures Wonders display.  Is that a hatchling or perhaps a totem to encourage another record loggerhead nesting season on Vanderbilt Beach?

NPR Studio: Don Lewis, Mindy Todd and Kathy Zagzebski

On Tuesday morning, December 7th, Mindy Todd, host and producer of The Point on Cape and Islands NPR Station WCAI, interviewed Turtle Journal’s Don Lewis and the National Marine Life Center’s Kathy Zagzebski about this fall’s large number of sea turtle strandings on Cape Cod.  Before the show began, Don, Mindy and Kathy … joined by the shell of a juvenile loggerhead sea turtle that had succumbed to cold-stunning in a previous stranding season … prepared for the 9:30 am broadcast.

Don Lewis Rescues Kemp’s Ridley from Duck Harbor

By 2 pm on Monday, December 6th, 174 cold-stunned sea turtles had been recovered from Cape beaches, and four more sea turtles had been sighted, but had not been recovered by rescuers.  Of these 174 turtles, 160 were identified as Kemp’s ridleys, 13 were green sea turtles and one was a hybrid, possibly a ridley-hawksbill.  One hundred twenty-five turtles were found alive on the beach, and 45 had already succumbed by the time rescuers reached them.  Another 12 turtles died after being recovered alive.  One hundred twenty-two turtles were transported to the New England Aquarium for emergency medical treatment.

Cold-Stunned Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle in Triage

Early morning on the 7th, another five Kemp’s ridleys were recovered from Eastham beaches; two of which were found alive.

Cold-Stunned Green Sea Turtle in Triage

The Point interview from December 7th has been archived on the WCAI/WGBH web site and can be accessed by clicking here.

 

Mindy Todd, NPR’s the Point

Photo by Dorene Sykes

 

Mindy Todd, of NPR’s the Point, will host a program on Tuesday morning, December 7th on WCAI/WCAN (90.1, 91.1 94.3) from 9:30 to 10:00 and again in the evening at 7:30 to 8:00 pm to discuss the record number of sea turtle strandings on Cape Cod this fall.  In addition to the FM band, you can listen live to the Point by clicking on Mindy’s photograph above, which will bring you to the NPR web site.

Don “The Turtle Guy” Lewis and Kathy Zagzebski, President & Executive Director of National Marine Life Center, discuss sea turtles and the high numbers stranding on Cape Cod beaches.

Mindy archives her programs, too.  You can listen to last Christmas Eve’s interview on this same topic by clicking here.  Later this week, you should be able to access Tuesday’s interview.

Turtle Journal’s story in Cape Cod Today about the three-year-old boy who rescued an endangered sea turtle was picked up by Time Magazine’s NewsFeed.  The Time story begins,

Teague Whalley, Kemp’s Ridley and Don Lewis

Three-year-old hero Teague Whalley saved one of the most endangered sea turtles in the world from certain death on Monday, November 29th.

3-Year-Old Teague Whalley Discovers Stranded Sea Turtle

Teague proves the rule that you’re never too young to begin saving the world, one turtle at a time.  Turtle Journal salutes Teague and his mother Karen Whalley for their successful efforts to save this badly injured, and cold-stunned Kemp’s ridley sea turtle.

Sagamore Beach, Bourne, Massachusetts

Late Monday morning, Karen Whalley and her son Teague walked Sagamore Beach on a beautiful sunny day.  The seas were calm and the winds gentle.  The tide had receded, allowing Karen and Teague to explore the shoreline.  As they approached a rock groin (the distant one pictured above), Teague and his mom found a “beautiful” sea turtle unlike anything they had ever seen on the beach before.  Not knowing what to do, they returned to their nearby home and searched the internet to find a Cape Cod sea turtle rescuer to call.  Unsurprisingly, Google search produced the hotline number for Turtle Journal (508-274-5108).  They also found the procedures for saving a stranded sea turtle.

Teague Whalley Recovers Sea Turtle from Rising Tide

After calling Turtle Journal, Karen and Teague rushed back to the beach.  The tide was rising quickly, and they had to plunge into the water to rescue the turtle before it was dragged out to sea and condemned to certain death.  As they lifted the turtle to the beach, it began to move its flippers, signaling that it was quite alive.  Karen and Teague covered the sea turtle with dry seaweed to prevent hypothermia while they waited for the Turtle Journal rescue team to arrive.

Don Lewis, Kemp’s Ridley, Teague Whalley

While Turtle Journal’s Sue Wieber Nourse documented the rescue with photographs, Don Lewis examined this juvenile, 2-year-old Kemp’s ridley.  Its right eye had been damaged either by scraping against the rocks as it was driven ashore or by predatory gulls.  But this little critter proved a survivor and demonstrated its fight for life by trying to “swim” out of my arms.

Kemp’s Ridley Arrives at New England Aquarium Rescue Center

It was late in the afternoon, but we knew that this animal would not survive the night unless it received immediate medical attention.  We called the New England Aquarium marine rescue hotline and explained the situation.  While they are swamped with nearly a hundred cold-stunned turtles already, and rarely accept new animals this late in the day, they generously agreed to accept this Kemp’s ridley.  Sue Wieber Nourse and I raced up Route 3 to the new marine rescue facility in Quincy, and the turtle was admitted to the emergency facility by 4:15.

Sea Turtle Rescuers Teague Whalley and Karen Whalley

But none of this would have been possible if it were not for a heroic young lad, Teague Whalley, and his mom Karen.