Where we look for sea turtles
Seeing turtles in tropical seas is quite easy both during snorkeling and diving. With the exception of species that live in the open sea, turtles generally frequent shallow waters:
In the coral reef we can easily encounter the hawksbill turtle while it is busy with some snacks. (Be careful though: they are very good at camouflaging themselves!!)
In the meadows of aquatic plants we can meet adult green turtles, their considerable size will not go unnoticed!
During night dives it will be easy to find some turtles sleeping inside crevices or caves; in fact, when they are not disturbed they can remain underwater for a long time.
At certain times of the year, olive ridley turtles gather en masse to lay their eggs in places like Central America and India. This phenomenon, known as arribada (Spanish for “arrival”), can bring together up to 300,000 turtles! In this case, they can be easily observed from the beach.
Possibility to see them from the boat while sailing as they surface for air!
How we approach sea turtles
When we meet them in the sea both during diving and snorkeling
When you see a sea turtle for the first time, your instinct is always to swim towards it. Obviously, the emotion is great, but we must restrain our desire and approach it slowly, otherwise we will scare it and it will run away.
The turtles are not too disturbed by us (the adult ones at least) so with gentle and calm movements we will be able to get very close.
They will gladly let themselves be photographed if we keep the right distance, turtles like all living beings including us, need their living space, so let's respect it!
The sea turtle must return to the surface to breathe so do not position yourself on top of it or too close because it will get scared and will not return to breathing, thus risking drowning.
The burdensome theme of "touching the turtle":
We know that the greatest desire when you see a turtle is to touch it. However, she is not a stuffed toy to be spoiled.
She is an animal with her heart and feelings that simply wants to be admired for her beauty without this affecting her health.
The Friendly Fins will understand the reason why it is not possible to touch them and will be the bearers of these precious suggestions:
WE CAN'T TOUCH THEM
Because their shell is covered with a protective film, if we touch it we expose it to the attack of parasites, fungi, algae and disease-carrying bacteria. It is no coincidence that some turtles have damaged shells full of barnacles (barnacles) that in addition to parasitizing them create friction while swimming.
NEVER ATTACH TO HER because the turtle, as we said, must return to the surface to breathe! If we cling to her we will tire her and bring her to the limit of her strength because she will try to escape, risking killing her or terrorizing her. We do not believe that anyone wants to find another person clinging to their back, and turtles do not want the same.
We choose a serious and competent excursion center, be wary of those who propose a photo with the turtle or the possibility of petting it, these people have no respect for these extraordinary animals.
If we truly love turtles, we will be satisfied with a photograph, a video, a memory of his gaze when it crossed with ours.
When we meet them on the beach
Adult females
When we see an adult turtle on the beach it means that it is a female that has to lay eggs, it is a crucial and very tiring moment in her life. We must absolutely NOT interfere with her chores.
She will have to dig a large hole and then lay about 200 eggs, this will keep her busy for a long time so they need maximum tranquility:
We can observe it with caution and from a safe distance (at least 10 m);
Don't take flash photographs (we wouldn't be happy at all if someone did the same to us in the middle of the night);
We admire his determination and effort in absolute silence;
Seeing a turtle lay its eggs is a rare and unique experience, let's enjoy this moment without thinking about anything else.
The little turtles
The eggs will remain incubating in the nest made by the mother, in the meantime we Friendly Fins can:
Report if we have found a nest and make sure it is fenced.
Never dig to get the eggs or think about moving the nest. (If it is considered right, the authorized personnel will do it). Moving the eggs from the nest during incubation can cause unimaginable damage: the sex determination of the turtles depends strictly on the temperature of the nest and in particular all the eggs towards the surface will be female and all the eggs deeper down will be male.
Once the eggs hatch we must not take the baby turtles and take them to the sea. Despite their high mortality rate, nature must take its course: it is essential for them to walk along that stretch of beach because one day they will have to return there to lay their eggs!
It often happens that the turtles instead of being attracted by the moonlight reflecting on the sea, are attracted by the lights of the beach establishments. Here, it would be appreciated some help to redirect them towards the sea! Maybe with a light to attract them back towards the right path!
What Friendly Fins Can Do for Sea Turtles
In this period, efforts to protect these splendid animals are numerous on all fronts. All existing species of sea turtles are at risk of extinction and each of us can do something to help them:
Garbage: Nobody likes to walk on a beach full of garbage, imagine if we had to give birth there! Not even turtles, rightly, want to lay their eggs on a dirty beach. By picking up garbage on the beach we will help these beautiful animals to regain a little of their habitat and therefore repopulate.
Let's try to be more eco-sustainable: much of the waste that is produced for one reason or another ends up in the sea where it is intercepted by turtles that can get entangled or suffocate by eating it. Less waste will certainly be good for our health as well as for the turtles!
Friendly Fins snorkelers and divers: only we know how much garbage there is underwater in certain areas. If we happen to come across it, let's remove it and bring it ashore. The decomposition times of this waste are thousands of years, but for us it only takes a few minutes to bring it to proper disposal.
In tropical countries, jewelry and souvenirs are often made from turtle shells: if these were no longer bought, turtles would no longer be fished for this purpose.
Let's raise awareness for all those who still don't know about turtles! Knowledge is the most powerful weapon to protect and defend them!
If we spot a turtle in trouble: they usually don't stay on the surface too long, so if they don't go back under water they might have a problem or have gotten caught in some net. If conditions allow, let's get closer, assess the situation and if necessary call for help. The same goes if we find it on the beach. We could save its life!
WWF and sea turtle rescue centers can come to her rescue. Here are two very useful addresses to contact:
And now Friendly Fins come and meet them and it will be love at first sight!