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The Virgin Islands are
home to three species of sea turtles, including green, hawksbill and
leatherback sea turtles. These turtle species frequent our local waters
year round and are often seen foraging on coral reefs and sea grass beds,
breathing and basking at the water’s surface, or nesting on local beaches.
All species of turtle are protected on local, federal, and international
levels from human interactions, poaching and habitat destruction. In spite
of this protection, sea turtles are vulnerable to many natural and human
induced threats. They may ingest or become entangled in marine debris, such
as fishing lines and trash, and are commonly hit by boats. Turtles may also
be attacked by sharks, dogs, or humans, and are frequently the victims of
poaching. Disorientation of adult and hatchling sea turtles due to
inappropriate lighting on, or near nesting beaches, may also result in a
turtle being lost, injured, or killed.
Sick, dead, and injured
turtles may be encountered year round in the Caribbean. For this reason,
the Sea Turtle Assistance and Rescue, or STAR network was founded. Based on
St. Croix, STAR is a network of volunteers from the community,
veterinarians, non-government organizations (NGO’s), and territorial and
federal agencies, that is coordinated and managed by WIMARCS (West Indies
Marine Animal Research and Conservation Service). This group of trained,
qualified, and permitted individuals responds to and handles emergency
situations involving trapped, injured, dead, disoriented, or stranded
turtles on St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John. STAR also responds to
stranded whales and dolphins. A stranded turtle, whale, or dolphin is
defined as one that is found on the beach or floating, either dead or alive,
but in a weakened state. Sea turtles that are naturally nesting, swimming,
basking, or sleeping are not considered stranded! |
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If
you encounter a stranded sea turtle, whale or dolphin, call STAR immediately
at 1-877-3-TURTLE. Trained personnel will be ready to talk to you and
collect information on the animal. When reporting a sick or injured animal
it is important to provide vital information to the STAR dispatcher.
This information includes:
- Name and telephone
number of caller
- Exact location and
directions to the sea turtle (whale or dolphin)
- Date and time of
observations
- Identification or
description of the animal (size, color, etc.)
- Condition of the
animal (alive, injured, dead, disoriented)
Once reported, a STAR
representative will respond to the emergency. Depending on the severity of
the illness or injury, sea turtles are either shipped to rehabilitation
centers off-island or treated by local veterinarians. All rehabilitated
turtles are released back to sea. Information from reported strandings is
compiled and used to develop conservation strategies to protect sea turtle
and marine mammal species. Although STAR relies on many community
volunteers and other donated resources, the most important participant in
STAR is you!! Please call the hotline at 1-877-3-TURTLE to report any sick,
injured, or dead sea turtle. Note that this number is for emergencies
only! Non-emergency situations such as a sighting or observation may be
reported at www.wimarcs.org.
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