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Leatherback Turtle Eggs Destroyed In Trinidad
Construction workers moving sand on Grande Riviere beach in Trinidad have accidentally crushed a large number of leatherback turtle eggs. The workers used bulldozers to redirect a river that was eroding the beach, popular with tourists who like to see the turtles hatch.
BBC reports that 20,000 leatherback turtle eggs were destroyed, while Trinidad Express Newspapers quotes Environmental Management Authority CEO Dr. Joth Singh as saying, "only a few hundred" were destroyed.
The Grande Riviere River was encroaching on the beach and the turtle nesting area, and a local hotel owner asked the government to shift its course. The workers ended up bulldozing a portion of the nesting site.
Leatherback turtles, which are a critically endangered species, are famous for laying their eggs in the same spot where they were born. Trinidad's north coast has huge nesting areas that have become popular with visitors. The Trinidad Express reports that locals and tourists have joined together to sift through the wreckage in search of hatchlings that can be saved.
[Photo courtesy Crazy Creatures]
Filed under: Trinidad & Tobago, News, Central America
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Hewlette Jul 10th 2012 2:40PM
It is hard to believe that the authorities of Trinidad where not aware of the fact that Grand Riviere is one of the major hatching grounds for leather back turtles on the island and that the "turtle season" is in full swing!!! It is a pity that this happened. If you want to see turtles hatching in peace and tranquility visit Trinidad’s sister isle Tobago. The long stretch of "Turtle Beach" will give you the opportunity to see the little turtles starting their adventurous lives and their struggle for survival. On a trip to the Bucoo Reef you might even see turtles swimming side by side with you.