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Much ado about Marco’s sea turtles
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It’s a good thing that sea turtles don’t have anyone betting on them. The odds of a sea turtle hatchling making it to adulthood are one in 1,000.
That’s one of the many interesting sea turtle facts the Marco Island Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) learned at its recent meeting at the Hideaway Beach Club.
Gail Fox, an Everglades National Park Ranger, is as big a turtle fan as she is an expert. Fox used photographs, expertise and enthusiasm to inform her audience about the loggerhead turtles that nest on Marco’s beaches.
Last year, for example, 39 loggerhead nests hatched on Marco’s Beach, producing 3,850 hatchlings. But, only three or four (yes – 3 or 4!) of those baby turtles will survive to adulthood.
If a few-inches long hatchling can dig its way out of a two foot deep sand nest, crawl dozens yards to the surf without being devoured by a host of predators, including crabs, raccoons, feral cats, birds and even fire ants, it then gets to swim a gauntlet of marine predators.
And here in Florida, they have the occasional hurricane to deal with.
Here are more turtle truths from Ranger Fox:
– 90 percent of all loggerheads worldwide nest here in Florida.
– Sea turtle lived in the dinosaur days, 100-million years ago.
– Loggerheads can weigh 200-300 pounds and live as long as 70 years.
– They surface every few minutes to breath but can hold their breath for 30-minutes.
– Female loggerhead turtles don’t return to shore to lay eggs until they are 25 years old.
– Male sea turtles are hatched on land but live their lives at sea.
– The loggerheads’ main meal is jellyfish. That’s why plastic bags and balloons are deadly to sea turtles, which mistake them for dinner. The synthetics are lethal when they lodge in a turtle’s throat or stomach causing suffocation or starvation.
– Sea turtles’ only enemies at sea are sharks, killer whales and humans.
To find out more about sea turtles and all the wildlife in the Everglades National Park, visit the Gulf Coast Visitors Center in Everglades City, or call 239.695.3311
The DAR works to preserve the spirit of the men and women who achieved American Independence. We welcome potential members and members from other chapters. For further information, please call Kay Zeigler at (239) 642-0711.
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