It’s turtle nesting time…
Park Rangers will be giving a brief presentation in the Community Center at the Villages of Loreto Bay (MAP) on how to identify a turtle nest and what to do when you find one.
Date: 26 June 2023
Time: 12pm
Location: Community Center FN 305, Villages of Loreto Bay
Notes: Contact Angela Jones for more information at 613.113.4032.
Presented by the Loreto Bay National Park and the Villages of Loreto Bay. This is not a KLM event. Please contact the Villages of Loreto Bay for more information.
UPDATE
Thank you to all who attended and thank you to the Park Rangers who shared their time and expertise. ¡Viva las tortugas!
What To Do If You Encounter a Sea Turtle On the Beach
Sea Turtles are one of the oldest creatures on earth. They live their whole life in the sea and only come on shore to lay their eggs. We love them and are excited they have chosen our beaches as their nesting site! Here are simple tips for making your night beach walk fun and safe for you and the nesting sea turtles.
According to the Sea Turtle Conservancy, here are some simple rules to follow:
Do not walk on the beach with a flashlight or shine a light in the sea turtle’s face. The light may cause the female to abort the nesting process, or other sea turtles nearby may be discouraged from nesting if there are lights on the beach. (TIP: When you go out on the beach at night let your eyes adjust to the ambient light. You will be amazed at how much you can see without man-made lights. If you take a flashlight make sure it has infrared LED bulbs that emits long wavelengths 590-750nm that do not disturb the sea turtles.)
Do not take pictures using flashes. This high-intensity light can be even more disturbing than the flashlights.
Stay clear and out of sight of the turtle until she begins laying eggs, otherwise you may scare her back into the sea.
For your safety, stay away from the turtle’s head. Sea turtles, especially loggerheads, have very strong jaws and can harm you if provoked.
Do not handle the eggs or put any foreign objects into the nest. You can introduce bacteria or injure the eggs.
Do not handle or ride the sea turtle. In addition to being illegal, you may injure the turtle or cause her to leave without finishing nesting.
Do not disturb tracks left by turtles. Researchers sometimes use the tracks to identify the type of turtles that nested and to find and mark the nests.
Do enjoy the experience, and remember it for the rest of your life.