Recent News
Turtle Hill Golf Club & BAMZ Turtle ProjectWednesday, September 04, 2013
The Fairmont Southampton’s Championship Par 3 golf course, The Turtle Hill Golf Club, is living up to its name. The golf club was rebranded to the current name in October 2012 to portray an authentically local name, and to bring awareness to the sea turtle preservation efforts in Bermuda.
Back to school strategising
Tuesday, September 03, 2013
I love the smell of newly sharpened pencils. Never mind the thrill of buying a new pencil case! I have a bit of a ‘thing’ for stationery but particularly when it’s mixed with the buzz of anticipation that comes with the start of a new year at school.
More Reef Watch teams needed
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
The Bermuda Zoological Society is looking for at least six more volunteer teams to participate in Reef Watch on August 31.
Want to help with reef research? You can still sign up
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
There is still time for volunteers to sign up to this Saturday’s Reef Watch event which will use teams of volunteer citizen scientists to monitor the health of Bermuda’s economically important reef systems.
Countdown To BZS’s “Reef Watch” Event
Monday, August 26, 2013
Excitement is mounting as teams have been registering for the upcoming Reef Watch which will be held on Saturday, August 31.
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All the latest updates and news from the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum, and Zoo, one of Bermuda's leading visitor attractions!
Jennifer Gray, Bermuda Director, Bermuda Turtle Project
Are you an early riser? Do you like to walk beaches?
Be a part of our Citizen Science Volunteer Programme... take a walk and report sea turtle nesting events.
In 1870 Bermuda's Attorney General declared that there was no nesting of sea turtles in Bermuda giving us an approximate time reference for the local extinction of our nesting green turtles.
Sea turtle nesting events in Bermuda; of 1990 (Loggerhead), 2005 (Loggerhead) and 2015 (Green) give us a glimmer of hope for the future and suggest a possibility that sea turtles are nesting sporadically hidden from human eyes. All three of these nests were discovered fortuitously by observant members of our community and we encourage everyone to be aware of the tell-tale signs of sea turtle nesting and report any events to the Bermuda Turtle Project.
Historic records suggest that sea turtles in Bermuda nested between late April through June and certainly June, July and August would provide the optimal sand temperature for a sixty- day incubation period of eggs.
To identify the tracks (crawls) of a nesting sea turtle observations should be made early in the morning when they are fresh and unaltered by wind and rain. Whenever possible photographic records should be obtained. The tracks of a nesting sea turtle should emerge from the high tide mark and lead to a disturbed area of sand at the back of a beach with another track returning to the sea. Loggerhead tracks are approximately three feet wide while Green Turtle tracks are typically four feet wide.
Photos: Sea Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission
Hatchlings emerging from a nest may not leave clear tracks depending on the type of sand and wind conditions but when they do many small tracks from the nest to the sea may be observed. These should not be confused with the tracks of a hermit crab. If there are bright lights the vicinity of the beach hatchlings may become disoriented and have trouble finding the ocean.
Tracks from disoriented hatchlings.
Their tracks should lead straight to the sea. Hermit Crab tracks
Photo: Sea Turtle Conservancy
Help us understand the status of sea turtle nesting by reporting any tracks or nesting events to the Bermuda Turtle Project by calling (441) 332-2966.