Bonaire Turtles

Spend a week scuba diving or snorkeling the coast of Bonaire and you will be sure to share some underwater time with turtles. The turtles come here for the abundant supply of food and the turtle-friendly reefs.

Bonaire is home to three of the eight species of sea turtle found in the Caribbean: the Hawksbill, the Green turtle and the Loggerhead. These shell-dwellers have been protected here since 1961. Still, all of them are endangered.

There was a time not that long ago that tropical beaches around the globe were flush with these lumbering creatures performing their ancient turtle tradition of depositing their nest eggs.

How is it possible for turles to be endangered when these guys have survived since the Jurassic period with its raptors and various -osauruses? (Brontosaurus, stegosaurus, etc.) With over 100 eggs per nesting turtle, there should be enough baby turtles to maintain a healthy population, but this just isn't the case. As they make their way from the beach to the sea, many of the young turtles are rapidly snatched up by the greedy seaside gluttons also known as birds and crabs. Those that make it to the water can look forward to a visit from some very hungry predators. And by visit, I mean feeding frenzy.

But the biggest threat to the turtles is humans. We have been responsible for their rapid decrease in numbers around the globe.

We have polluted their waters. Garbage such as plastic and rubber are mistaken for jellyfish and consumed by the turtles. And if consuming garbage doesn’t kill them, being consumed does; their flesh and eggs are widely sought after as sources of food.

Another problem is that these pesky turtles like to lay their eggs on perfectly good beaches, better suited for all inclusive resorts, hotels, or vacation properties. How inconsiderate!

By far the most significant contribution to the depletion of the turtle population is local fisheries. Whether through shrimping, trawling, or gill-netting, the fishing industry is responsible for a high percentage of bycatch, whereby the turtles are the unintended catch of the fishermen. Turtles will often swim into the nets, from which they are unable to escape and subsequently drown. Fishermen have the option of using turtle excluding devices (TEDs), however many feel that this limits the effectiveness of their nets.

Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire is an organization dedicated to preserving these animals. They spend countless hours watching the breeding turtles, protecting their nest and guiding disoriented turtles back to the sea (turtles navigate on land by the moon, and can often get confused by bright lights).

It's too bad that turtles are migratory animals. The protection they would receive through local legislation would ensure their safety.

Here are the laws regarding Bonaire sea turtles: