As revelers flocked to the island’s shores over the Fourth of July weekend, a lucky few witnessed a wonder of nature along a crowded stretch of beach at the edge of the sprawling capital city of San Juan.
Amid the ebb and flow of a packed day at the beach, dozens of endangered sea turtle hatchlings were born, emerging from their sandy nest after two months of incubation and heading straight to sea to the delight of people on hand to see the spectacle.
The daytime rush to the sea was unusual, as most hatches take place at night to improve the slim chances of survival for newborn turtles that are easy pickings for a range of predators.
The hatchlings were actually shepherded to the water by the thrilled crowd of people who had gathered to welcome them to the world.
The coastal fringe from Ocean Park to Isla Verde, ringed by condominium towers and hotels, boasts the most popular beach spots for tourists and metro area locals alike, drawing thousands of visitors on a daily basis.
Despite the crowds and development, the sandy stretch remains a prime nesting ground for sea turtles.
Local environmental officials, activists and community members work to protect these nesting grounds, where pregnant sea turtles haul themselves out of the sea to burrow into the sand to lay their eggs. Once hatched, the baby sea turtles emerge from the sand and quickly try to reach the sea for the start of a life’s journey that will take them thousands of miles around the Atlantic Ocean.
Incredibly, some species of sea turtles are believed to return to nest years later on the same stretch of coastline where they were born, although scientists remain uncertain on what underpins such an astute
system of navigation.
Few sea turtles make it to adulthood, facing threats from predators and human intervention before they are even hatched. Once hatched, the tiny sea turtles are seen as tasty morsels for a range of animals higher up the
food chain at sea, on land and from the air.
Litter, particularly discarded plastic, also poses a serious threat as sea turtles can mistake it for jellyfish, an important part of their diet.
By : KEVIN MEAD
http://www.caribbeanbusinesspr.com/news03.php?nt_id=59363&ct_id=1&ct_name=1
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