Sea Turtles of the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the United States

Foreword

Foreword Sea turtles are among the most magnificent marine creatures, with a charisma that makes them almost mythical. Although relatively few people have ever seen a sea turtle in its natural habitat, most of us know them from films and speak of them with awe. In addition to their aesthetic value, sea turtles can tell us much about the condition of the sea. We cannot see the sharks, tuna, swordfish, whales, and many other sea animals that are being devastated by industrial fishing and pollution, but sea turtles must come ashore to nest, and this allows us to count them and assess the health of individuals and populations. What is happening to sea turtles today is also happening to the rest of our sea creatures, or soon will be. Although the United States leads the world in sea turtle protection, the effects of our burgeoning population are taking a terrible toll on sea turtles. As more and more people move to the coast to enjoy the sea and sand, we are loving the beach—and by extension sea turtles—to death. Shorefront development and the lights that go with it, highways, and beach renourishment and armoring are destroying the quality of nesting areas that have been used by sea turtles for millennia. Loggerheads are in great danger in the Carolinas and Georgia, and every species is threatened by human activities all along the U.S. coast. Unless we change our behavior, we will drive sea turtles to extinction in U.S. waters. Fishing activities have an impact as well. Gill nets, long lines, crab and lobster pots, and trawl nets are taking a heavy toll on sea turtles as well as other sea creatures. Thousands of sea turtles each year are caught in these devices and die. Moreover, hundreds of turtles are injured or killed by collisions with boats both large and small. Sea turtles wash ashore dead on the Atlantic coast from north of New Jersey south to Florida and west along the Gulf coast to Texas. On the bright side, conservation efforts have been successful in saving the Kemp’s ridley turtle from imminent extinction. Leatherbacks are on the rise along the Atlantic coast of Florida, and green turtles appear in large numbers there as well. The largest population of loggerheads in the world nests in Florida. And as it has been in the past, education continues to be an important aspect of sea turtle conservation. This book is an excellent resource for all who are interested in sea turtles, from high school students to homeowners, beach visitors, graduate students, and marine biologists. The knowledge and passion Carol Ruckdeschel and the late Robert Shoop have brought to their subject captures the reader’s imagination. In clear language they present the evolution and biology of sea turtles, including interesting details on their parasites and diseases. The section on conservation provides essential information, and the guidelines for observing nesting are useful for all beach visitors. The species accounts are fascinating, and the key to the species is helpful to all readers. The illustrations make the book attractive as well as informative. Sea turtles need all the friends they can find, and they have had no better friends than Bob and Carol. It is the turtles’ loss and our own that Bob passed away in 2003. He was both a truly honorable human being and a wonderful colleague to sea turtle biologists. We are fortunate that Carol has expanded on their earlier work together. Her expert knowledge, gained from 30 years of experience on the beaches of Georgia, pervades this book. Sea Turtles of the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the United States will, I hope, be another step on the long road back to abundance for sea turtles along the U.S. coast. James R. Spotila Betz Chair Professor of Environmental Science Drexel University viii foreword ...