Sea Turtles

in Dominican Republic

Five species of sea turtles can be found in the coasts of the Dominican Republic (DR):

1. Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)
2. Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
3. Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
4. Olive Ridley, Pacific Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea)
5. Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta)

Only the first three species (leatherback, green and hawksbill turtles) nest in Dominican beaches. As in the rest of the world, populations of nesting turtles (adults) as well as feeding grounds (juvenile y adult turtles) vary; when it comes to reproduction, sea turtles often perform extensive migrations from their feeding grounds to their natal beach. All nesting populations in the Dominican Republic are in critical condition, with the main nesting coasts (Saona Island and Jaragua National Park) recording under 30 females per year.

In the photo of the post you can see a turtle that we met the night of June 22, 2017 on Catalina Island. It seems to be a Green Sea Turtle, one of the largest sea turtles and the only herbivore among the different species. Green turtles are in fact named for the greenish color of their cartilage and fat, not their shells. In the Eastern Pacific, a group of green turtles that have darker shells are called black turtles by the local community. Green turtles are found mainly in tropical and subtropical waters. Like other sea turtles, they migrate long distances between feeding grounds and the beaches from where they hatched. 

Classified as endangered, green turtles are threatened by overharvesting of their eggs, hunting of adults, being caught in fishing gear and loss of nesting beach sites.

Post source: www.beachup.com.do