Caretta`s Corner - Friends of Hunting Island

Transcription

FRIENDS OF HUNTING ISLAND
S E A T U R T L E C O N S E R VAT I O N P R O J E C T
19
93 – 2015
Caretta’s Corner
Summer 2011
Dedication to Barry deSatnick (June 5, 1933—July 9, 2011)
FALL 2015
Bonnie Wright, Past-President FOHI, Board Member
ok!
Like us on Facebo
Barry deSatnick joined the Friends of Hunting Island State
days
Byshortly
Peggyafter
Willenberg,
Log,of his beloved lightPark
retiring to Associate
the BeaufortEditor,
area inLoggerhead
2003,
house.
Friends
of
Hunting
Island
State
Park
(a/k/a
Caretta)
when he and his wife, Pat, visited the park and listened to
Bonnie Wright recently
a volunteer’s talk at the lighthouse.
remarked,
“ I the
was very
It’s
that
bittersweet
time of
unteers from all the local sea turtle groups atBarry was raised in Cape May, NJ, and growing up he develfond
of
Barry
and
it was
a
year
again,
when
I
am
off
to
my
tending,
as well as Kelly Thorvalson from the Sea Turtle Hospital at
oped a special affinity for lighthouses. His mom had a
pleasure working with him
grounds for the winter the South Carolina Aquarium. Plus lots of tasty food provided by the
beach house on the Jersey Shore which shefeeding
rented to touron the Friends’ Board. He
and have
to leaveismy
wonderful volunteers themselves!
ists, and he joined the Beach Patrol in his teens.
From the
missed by many, but his
top of the lifeguards’ platform he could seefriends
the CapeatMay
Huntingefforts
Islandwith
behind.
FOHI willpeaking
be
ofofvolunteers,
in 2015
the the
FOHIFOHI
Sea Turtle
Conservation
ProjSpeaking
volunteers,
in 2015
Sea Turtle
Conservation
Lighthouse in the distance, where his stepmother
sold tick- hard
It is especially
to
leave
remembered after
for generaect
trained
175
volunteers,
80
of
them
new.
That’s
a
25%
increase
over
Project trained 175 volunteers, 80 of them new. That’s a 25% increase
ets as a volunteer. As he grew up, went such
to college,
and
an exciting
nesting
tions.” season! I
2014.
Those
volunteers
spent
a
total
of
2300
hours
on
the
beach,
a
22%
began a career, the memory of that lighthouse stayed with
over 2014. Those volunteers spent an estimated 6,000 hours on
the
was overjoyed to see
more memorial
of my serA private
increase
over
2014.
What’s
more,
1100
guests
joined
the
volunteers
in
him, and he remained a member of the Cape May Beach
beach,
a
22%
increase
over
2014.
What’s
more,
1100
guests
joined
vice willshow
be heldup
for Barry
Patrol Benevolent Society until his death. loggerhead girlfriends
2015,
for
morning
walks
and/or
inventories,
which
represents
a
3%
involunteers
in 2015,
morning walks and/or inventories, which
in Cape Maythe
in the
Fall. The family
has for
requested
to lay their nests deSatnick
on my favorite
crease
in
participation
and
excitement!
Barry was a member of the Friends’ Board and a Director
represents
a
36%
increase
in
participation and excitement!
that
any
donations
in
his
memory
be
sent
to
Friends
of
Hunting
beach, and they did a great job.
for lighthouse activities during the very important 150th
Island
State
Park,
P O Box 844, St. Helena Island, SC 9920-0844
had aanyear
early start
with
our
first
I thought the best way to celebrate the season would be to
Lighthouse Anniversary in October 2009. We
For over
marked “Lighthouse” to see Barry’s dream fulfilled.
nest
on
May
6,
and
then
it
was
fast
leading up to the celebration, Barry spearheaded the proshare lots of pictures of the fabulous Friends of Hunting Isfurious
ject to have the lighthouse freshly paintedand
in time
for thefor a few weeks. The land sea turtle volunteers. Luckily, my assistant has been recelebration. Through his previous professional
experience
last nest
was laid July 23, and it’s a ceiving lots of pics from you talented folks all season, and I
Photo
by Dorothy
with
DuPont
PaintIngram
Co. and his wide contacts
with thing!
a varietyWhat with all the king
good
hope you’ve been checking them out on our Facebook page at
of paint and raw materials suppliers, he was
able to
getyear,
all
tides
this
most of the baby www.facebook.com/SeaTurtleConservationProject
the paint donated. The project was completed well in adsea turtles cleared out just in time! 81 nests is not too shabby, ladies!
vance over two weeks’ time in mid-February, 2009.
So here are a few of my favorites… please enjoy and thank you for all
you have
reading
Nest
Notes, spotlight,
you probably noticed it indiToIfprepare
the been
lighthouse
for its
anniversary
cated
nests,thenot
81. I am
to say
the discrepancy is due
Barry
also82
directed
activities
of adelighted
group of college
student
painting
the lighthouse’s
out buildings
to volunteers
a nest laidin by
an oh-so-rare
leatherback
sea turtle! I heard that a
and
surrounding
Once thesefrom
tasks were
completed,
huge
crowd fence.
of volunteers
Hunting,
Fripp, and Harbor Islands
heshowed
turned his
obtaining and
a special
lighthouse
upattention
for thetoinventory
a live
hatchling was rescued from
postmark stamp from the United States Post Office. After
the nest area. Wow, are those babies big!
much time and effort, the request was granted by the USPS
and
a souvenir
Pictorial
Envelope
was produced party, but I had to
I wish
I could
havePostmark
attended
the end-of-season
to get
be sold
as a on
fundraiser
fortrek
the south.
lighthouse
duringitthe
started
my long
I heard
was great fun with vol150th celebration.
your efforts on behalf of sea turtles!
See you next May!
You can reach Peggy and Caretta at:
[email protected].
To learn about the Hunting Island Sea Turtle Conservation
Project and how you can support our efforts, please visit our
website at www.friendsofhuntingisland.org/volunteer.html.
CARETTA’S 2015 YEAR BOOK
Because of Barry’s hard work and dedication, park visitors
will continue to enjoy the beauty of South Carolina’s only
lighthouse that is open to the public for many years to come.
It was also his plan to spearhead a project to paint the inside of the lighthouse. But, as his illness progressed he
reluctantly gave up his board position and work on behalf
of the lighthouse. Friends of Hunting Island have lost a
dedicated supporter and a true friends as have so many of
us who worked alongside him during the most important
Baby leatherback turtle from nest #33. Photo by Carl Berube.
Like Us on Facebook!
www.facebook.com/SeaTurtleConservationProject
Evening inventory, Buddy Lawrence and
Peggy Willenberg. Photo by Chris Crosley.
Beth Glass, Crazy Turtle Lady. Photo
by Dorothy Ingram.
Visit the Friends of Hunting Island on our official website: www.friendsofhuntingisland.org
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1 1
Nature Center Specialist Bethany Conner and
Ranger Carl Berube took part in the leatherback
nest inventory. Photo by Dorothy Ingram.
This loggerhead baby had to crawl through a forest of grass to get to the beach. Photo by Carl Berube.
This loggerhead is on its way to the ocean. Photo by Carl Berube.
“TWINS!” Photo by Carl Berube.
Babies from nest #28 made it over the highest dune on
the beach and into the ocean. Photo by Dorothy Ingram
“Buddy’s Folly” was designed to guide the babies of nest #28 over the sand dune between the nest and
the beach. Photo by Chris Crosley.
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This baby is calling, “Wait for me!” Photo by Carl Berube.
The leatherback nest inventory drew volunteers and spectators from
surrounding islands. Photo by Dorothy Ingram.
These babies are making tracks for the waves. Photo by Carl Berube.
Volunteer Sandra Rice shows the crowd an unhatched leatherback egg.
Photo by Dorothy Ingram.
Nest #57 is a perfect pip. Photo by Keith Aspray.
Anthony Parsick with a baby loggerhead. Photo by Susan Trogdon.
Page 3
SOMETHING ABOUT TURTLES
Story and photos by Phil Gaines, Director, South Carolina State Park Service
If you walk a South Carolina State Park beach
this time of year, you are almost sure to pass
a site similar to the picture on the right. You
pass by the obvious- the shells and sandcastles, even the beach umbrellas and brightly
colored chairs have a charm that adds to the
magic of “the beach.” Then your eyes take
you further inland, where sand dunes and sea
Phil Gaines
oats provide a frame for the painting that is
the coast of Carolina. Just before nature’s frame you’ll notice
something that seems out of place- drift fencing
and a prominent sign giving more explanation to
what it is that has captured your attention. It’s a
“nest” of a loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta).
The loggerhead, named for its exceptionally large
head, has left something behind; a nest of around
100 eggs. If the nest can overcome the challenges
of beach erosion, raccoons, crabs and other critters, it will soon “boil.” “Boiling” is when the sea
turtles come to the surface en masse, breaking
through the sand and making their way to the
ocean. It is one of nature’s greatest wonders, not
only the boil but the whole process. It is believed
that a female loggerhead may travel thousands of
miles to return to the beach where she hatched
to lay her own eggs as an adult. There is also the
laying of the eggs and their hatching- an experience rivaled by only a few of nature’s most amazing wonders. As much as this is a miracle of nature, the turtles can’t do it alone anymore. They
require a little help from their friends and ours!
Volunteers at all of our coastal parks assist in the
sea turtle program and are making a difference.
I recently went on “turtle patrol” with the Friends
of Hunting Island. It is definitely fun, but there is
plenty of work and dedication involved as well.
Each morning the friends gather at the park and
walk the beach to check on existing nests and
document all the activities of the night before.
They keep precise data, from GPS coordinates to
the number of days that a nest has been on the
beach, which enables them to forecast when the
turtles will hatch. On this particular trip, I participated in a special overnight program, patrolling
the beach to ensure lights were out and watching
for turtles to come ashore.
The next morning at 6 a.m. we started the morning patrol to
check on existing nests and look further for any new activities
that may have occurred since the last turtle
patrol. As I made it to the “clubhouse,” I realized the volunteers must have had more
sleep (or coffee) than I did! They addressed
the morning with excitement and gathered
their clipboards and probers and set out for a
new day. Off we went on “turtle patrol” making a difference on the coast of Carolina, a
routine that is done on all our coastal parks
by volunteers and staff who are passionate
about one of the things that makes our state
so special.
The next day I was telling friends of my
weekend adventures and someone had
to ask: “Well did you see a turtle?” With
excitement I answered: “Not this trip!” He
looked at me rather funny and muttered
something about it being a wasted trip.
“Not a chance,” I explained, “I spent the
weekend with ‘friends,’ walked Hunting
Island’s beach at midnight, saw the Milky
Way with the naked eye, saw the sun rise
over the Atlantic Ocean, documented a
‘false crawl’ made by a female loggerhead
and made memories I’ll always cherish. It
was a great weekend!”
To all the friends and volunteers who are on
Turtle Patrol, the turtles and I thank you. If
you want to be a part of this great volunteer
program let us know, but in the meantime….
I’ll see you in the parks!
Phil
Editor’s note: This tribute first appeared on the SC State Parks
website at www.southcarolinaparks.com. It is reproduced
here with permission.
PagePage
4 4
LOGGERHEADS, LEATHERBACKS AND A
KEMP’S RIDLEY…OH, MY!
By Megan Stegmeir, Interpretive Park Ranger, Hunting Island State Park
It’s been a busy sea turtle season here at Hunting Island with
our final numbers being 82 nests and 103 false crawls. In South
Carolina, loggerheads are usually the only sea turtles that nest
along our beaches, but this year we got a special treat.
On June 7th, 2015 a leatherback sea turtle nest was laid on
Hunting Island! The last time a leatherback laid a nest in the
park was back in 2011, and this nest only produced two hatchlings, and there were no signs of emergence. The 2015 leatherback nest had 18 hatchlings to emerge, and an inventory
was conducted three days after their emergence was documented. During the inventory, we found 5 dead hatchlings,
66 eggs that didn’t hatch (24 of those eggs had fully formed
hatchlings inside) and one live hatchling that was stuck in
the roots trying to get out of the nest. All in all, 19 hatchlings
made it to the ocean, which was an awesome success rate for
leatherback sea turtles in South Carolina!
and brought it up onto the pier. Once we realized that the
turtle was only entangled in the line and wasn’t injured, we
contacted the SC Department of Natural Resources and they
instructed us to release it off of the beach. The turtle was
fine and swam away very quickly.
On July 15th, 2015, a family on the pier accidentally caught
a Kemp’s ridley sea turtle. The monofilament line got entangled around the turtle’s left front flipper, and it was unable
to swim away. When a sea turtle becomes hooked or entangled in fishing line on a pier, you must support the turtle’s
body weight when bringing it up onto the pier; if the weight
is not supported by a net, this movement could seriously
injure the turtle. We grabbed the hoop net that we have
on hand at the Nature Center, ran out to catch the turtle,
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank each and every FOHI
sea turtle volunteer for all the hard work and dedication you
put into this season. You all make a great team and ensure
that the Hunting Island Sea Turtle Conservation Project runs
like a well-oiled machine. I hope to see you all next year for
another great sea turtle nesting season!!
If you catch a sea turtle while fishing, or if you see a stranded
turtle, please call the SC Department of Natural Resources,
or you may call the Hunting Island Nature Center at 843-8387437. After hours, please call the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. You can reach the DNR 24-hour
hotline at 1-800-922-5431.
PagePage
5 5
South Carolina Aquarium Sea Turtle Rescue Program Update
By Samantha Mills, Advancement, Major Gifts Officer, South Carolina Aquarium. All photos copyright South Carolina Aquarium
They say if you do what you love, you’ll never work a day
in your life. Looking back at the 2015 sea turtle nesting and
stranding season, we certainly experienced a labor of love
here at the Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Hospital. A record year
for both patient admissions and releases, 2015 put our Sea
Turtle Rescue Program staff and volunteers to the test, and
our successes have proved to be a true testament to the phenomenal work being done here at the South Carolina Aquarium. We could not do what we do without the help of turtle
patrol volunteers and community members across the state
taking care of the hundreds of nests on our beaches, and being proactive and responding to sick and injured sea turtles
when they are discovered. It truly takes a village to make our
rehabilitation program a success, and we thank you for all
you do to protect these amazing animals.
Pawley, the second smallest loggerhead ever admitted to the
Sea Turtle Hospital, was found with old boat strike wounds
on the back of his/her shell. It is believed that Pawley’s debilitated condition was ultimately the result of the boat strike, as
the wounds would have resulted in severe pain and made it
extremely hard for the animal to feed normally. Upon admission, supportive care including pain medication, fluids and
antibiotics, were administered. After three months, Pawley’s
injuries are completely healed and s/he is ready to return to
the open ocean with Midway.
Our last update was in early June, and since then we have experienced an additional 18 admissions, some of which sadly
did not survive due to the extent of their injuries, and we have
released 32 turtles in both private and public beach releases.
On September 15th, a rare opportunity occurred. We cleared
four of our patients, representing three different species of
sea turtles, to make their way back to the Atlantic Ocean in a
final local release at Isle of Palms County Park. The four sea
turtles, a green, a Kemp’s ridley and two loggerheads, were
brought to the hospital after being found severely debilitated
or injured, including one loggerhead found with a significant
amount of plastics in its digestive system.
The two juvenile loggerhead sea turtles were both found
stranded on Pawley’s Island, S.C., the morning of June 8,
2015. Midway, found stranded on a sandbar, was weak, covered with marine leeches and in clear need of medical treatment. Once admitted to the Sea Turtle Hospital, Midway received vitamins, antibiotics, fluids and supportive care. After
three days of care, Midway also began passing large amounts
of plastic, including plastic bag and balloon pieces, which
likely contributed to his/her debilitated status.
The small green sea turtle, which was named Barnacle Bob,
underwent one of the most astounding turnarounds team
members have ever seen. Bob was rescued at Ocean Watersports in Myrtle Beach after employees noticed Bob getting
tossed around in the surf. Bob was severely emaciated, covered in barnacles and in need of immediate medical attention.
Bob was one of the most emaciated turtles ever admitted to
the Sea Turtle Hospital. Aggressive fluid therapy began immediately along with antibiotics, parenteral nutrition, and supportive care. For four months this little turtle received worldclass care, ultimately bringing him/her back to full health.
Little Laddy, a juvenile Kemp’s ridley sea turtle, the most endangered of the seven sea turtle species, was accidentally hooked
by a fisherman on Morris Island. Laddy swallowed the hook
and was brought to the Sea Turtle Hospital so the hook could
PagePage
6 6
be safely removed. The Aquarium’s veterinarian performed surgery successfully removing the massive hook situated dangerously close to Laddy’s trachea. Laddy has made a full recovery
and is ready to swim the Atlantic Ocean once again.
It’s been a busy year, with the hospital at over capacity for
the duration of the nesting and stranding season. Even with
the releases throughout the summer, rescue program staff
still had to invest in life support systems for the temporary
tanks that were necessary to accommodate our high patient
load. We wish our newly cleared patients well on their journey back in the wild, and will continue to work diligently to
treat our remaining 11 patients to full recovery.
hibit elements, which we view as central to the guest experience, and to secure the additional finances necessary to
adequately sustain hospital operations in the future.
It is our firm commitment to unveil a truly world-class sea
turtle rehabilitation center and interactive exhibit that will
bring our conservation mission to life, and enable our staff to
provide the highest level of care to our patients. With continued engagement and support from communities near and
far, we will do just that.
In late June of this year, the Aquarium’s planning team for
this project, led by Board Chair Jonathan Zucker whose family is the lead investor in the hospital expansion project, met
to evaluate the timeline for the Sea Turtle Recovery exhibit.
Our financial, engineering, and design processes are firmly
on target, and we look forward to creating a truly unforgettable guest experience that highlights all facets of the life of
the Sea Turtle Rescue Program. In considering the scope of
opportunities associated with this project, and observing the
tremendous advances in technologies that will enhance the
visitor piece of the exhibit, the committee decided to target
May 2017 as the official opening date for Sea Turtle Recovery.
You may note that this date represents an adjustment of
our previous timeline. This brief extension will enable our
staff and board additional planning time to support key ex-
Page 7
“TURTLE TALK AND TAPAS” IS THE TALK OF THE TOWN!
By Dorothy Ingram, Editor, Loggerhead Log and Volunteer, Hunting Island
Sea Turtle Conservation Project, Friends of Hunting Island State Park
Photos by Lynne and Darrell Schuman
On Friday evening, September 25, the Friends of Hunting
Island and On Friday evening, September 25, the Friends
of Hunting Island and our friends from our sister sea turtle
conservation projects in northern Beaufort County gathered
for an end of the season celebration at the Dataw Island Gazebo. Turtle volunteers and their supporters arrived from
Fripp Island, Harbor Island, Pritchard’s Island, Coffin Point,
and Land’s End to join members of the Hunting Island Sea
Turtle Conservation Project for a bring-your-own-fingerfoods feast. The speaker for the evening was Kelly Thorvalson, Manager of the South Carolina Aquarium Sea Turtle
Rescue Program and the Director of the South Carolina Sea
Turtle Hospital, which is undergoing a capital campaign directed at expanding the hospital into a remarkable, stateof-the-art rehabilitation center and interactive exhibit space
that will inspire and educate Aquarium visitors.
Thanks to all of you who made “Turtle Talk and Tapas” a memorable evening! Trust me, the event would not have been the
success that it was without everyone who participated, from
the volunteers who helped to make it happen, to those of you
who attended with your delicious finger foods!
Lee Burkett provided lovely shell centerpieces.
Here are the volunteers and guests who made the event possible:
Keith Aspray and John Jenkins, who hauled tables and chairs and
assisted with set up and break down, along with JoAnn Aspray,
who arranged the room; Lee Burkett, who brought beautiful
handmade shell and glass centerpieces for the tables; Valerie
Solze, who set up the electronics for the slide show; Debbie
Fraley, who not only designed the powerpoint of turtle slides
that played during social hour, but also donated some 85 pieces
of her beautiful handmade jewelry for sale to benefit the Sea
Turtle Hospital; Ava Hoecht, Jess Lowery, and Amanda Trimpey,
who helped to sell Debbie’s pieces; Teresa Roundy and Bonnie
Wright, who handled the nametag table and welcomed guests;
Patrick Lowery and George Ingram, who managed the break
down, along with everyone else who helped to clean up the
Gazebo; Chris Crosley and Denise Parsick, who handled the program; Fran Nolan, Janie Lackman, Samantha Campbell, and Abby
Morris, who sent the invitation out to the teams who joined us
from Harbor, Fripp, Pritchard’s, Coffin Point, and Land’s End, and
who reported on their seasons; and Darrell and Lynne Schuman,
who caught the evening on camera. Of course, we especially
want to thank Kelly Thorvalson, who came all the way from
Charleston to update us on the patients and the expansion of
the SC Aquarium Sea Turtle Hospital. We are all excited about
the expansion and want to help make it happen.
Thanks again, everyone, for a memorable evening, and an unforgettable season! See you all on the beach next summer.
Jessiah Lowery helped to sell Debbie’s jewelry to
benefit the Sea Turtle Hospital.
theGraham
Friends
of Hunting
Island
on our
official
www.friendsofhuntingisland.org
Mary andVisit
Herman
attended
the end of
Buddy
Lawrence
lookswebsite:
on as Chris Crosley
reports
Denise Parsick welcomes the crowd.
season event.
on the Hunting Island season.
Page 8
Debbie Fraley generously donated over 80 pieces of handmade jewelry for
sale to benefit the Sea Turtle Hospital.
Cheryl Roberts, Wayne Wharton, Susan Reynolds, Tommie Fraley, and
Valerie Solze share a laugh at “Turtle Talk and Tapas.”
Teresa Roundy encourages everyone to support the Sea Turtle Hospital.
The event drew turtlers from Harbor Island, Fripp Island, Pritchard’s Island,
Land’s End, and Coffin Point to join the Hunting Island turtlers for the end
of season event.
Visit the Friends of Hunting IslandSamantha
on ourCampbell
official reported
website:
www.friendsofhuntingisland.org
on the
sea turtle
Fran Nolan reported on the season at Harbor
Island.
season on Pritchard’s Island, Coffin Point, and
Land’s End.
Janie Lackman talked about the nesting season
on Fripp Island.
PagePage
9 9
Alan and Carol Welch brought granddaughter
and seasoned turtler Ava Hoecht to the event.
Chris Crosley presented Buddy Lawrence
with a long sleeved shirt from the Archie Carr
National Wildlife Refuge.
Ava Hoecht promotes the jewelry sale to
benefit the Sea Turtle Hospital.
Megan Stegmeir was in attendance at the
event and came to the rescue, helping Dory
Ingram open her surprise gift of a sea turtle
mirror presented by Chris Crosley.
Chris Crosley and Denise Parsick reminisce
about the past season.
the
Hunting
IslandChris
on our
official
website:
TommieVisit
Fraley
wasFriends
one of a of
group
of Saturday
Crosley
talks about
the sea www.friendsofhuntingisland.org
turtle season
Anthony Parsick says, “See you all next
turtlers at the event.
on Hunting Island.
season!”
PagePage
10 10

Caretta`s Corner - Friends of Hunting Island

Transcription

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