High Turtle Alert
PLETTENBERG BAY - Conservationists along the South African coastline are on high alert as rough seas and the start of the annual sea turtle hatchling stranding season spells bad news for the little marine creatures. Every year, between March and May, large numbers of mostly Loggerhead turtles, an endangered species, wash up on beaches along the South African coast, including the
Southern Cape.
The turtles are hatchlings from the nearest breeding area, KwaZulu-Natal. They usually swim into the warm Agulhas currents and drift southwards, but often a strong southeasterly wind and rough sea conditions force them into colder Cape waters, where they end up beached, stunned by the cold, dehydrated and injured.
The manager of the Plettenberg Baybased animal rehabilitation centre Tenikwa, Cam Newton, said although they had not yet received any "patients", they are ready to receive hatchlings that end up in our area. After nursing the hatchlings back to health, they are transported to the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town for further rehabilitation and eventual release back into the wild.
Two Oceans spokesperson Renée Leeuwner said if anyone comes across a turtle on the beach, there are a few golden rules to follow. The most important is to never put the turtle back in the water. Most of the turtles will drown because they are too weak to lift their heads and keep them above water. It is best to place the turtle in a dry container at room temperature.The second step is to contact the nearest Turtle Rescue Network point for further assistance. In Knysna, SANParks can be contacted in this regard: Owen 044 302 5643 / 083 650 8649 or Megan 083 650 8649. In Plettenberg Bay, the Plett Stranding Network can be contacted on 079 463 4837 or Chanal 072 317 2280. Tenikwa can also be contacted on 082 486 1515.