Concerns over the Hawksbill turtle

There’s great concern an animal that has become a significant part of the island’s tourism product, is now facing additional threats to its survival and reproductive life cycle.

It is the Hawksbill turtle.

The animal’s nesting season runs from June until November and those mainly responsible for ensuring their wellbeing during and after the June to November nesting season would like to see a greater effort to help them return to the island’s shores safely.

Director of the Barbados Sea Turtle Project Carla Daniel blames a rodent problem in the south of the island and other predators, for negatively impacting the number of hatchlings that survive and make it to adulthood.

Generally, Ms. Daniel notes the majority of Barbadians and tourists are very helpful when either calling to report hatchlings in trouble or nesting turtles in distress.

However, they do encounter some situations where some people are potentially breaking the law by taking the turtles away from the beach.

The team recently received what was perhaps one of the strangest calls ever, after hatchlings were observed in the area of the Ivy, St. Michael.

About The Author