Sea Turtle Conservation Curaçao (STCC)

Unique but Heartbreaking Discovery… #Rare sea turtle #twins were discovered in an #unhatched egg during a routine nesting survey on Klein Curaçao 🏝️ 🥚 The egg appeared normal on the outside, but upon further examination, we noticed two embryos - a rare phenomenon in #seaturtles 🔬 Researchers will be conducting further studies on the egg and its contents ➡️ If you would like to help fund this #research and our #conservation efforts, please scan the QR Code on the last page, or contact us directly 📞 📷 Photo credits: Russ Gooding WWF, National Geographic, Nature Magazine, Antilliaans Dagblad, Nu.cw, Paradise FM, Vroege Vogels - BNNVARA, Nature Science e-Magazine

Shami’s Last Day with STCC 🥺🫶 After intense few months, Shami has reached the end of her internship (finishing Cum Laude!) 🎓 She was a great member of our team: very communicative, always positive, and ready to get out of her comfort zone 💪 She went “all in” with tasks (especially with the nests) and would always make us smile! 😄 A hard worker and great carer for the turtles! 🐢 She will be missed at STCC, but now it’s time to wish her all the best with future projects and on her journey! 🤗 Thank you for everything, Shami! 💚

 😧 Trapped in a pond 😧 Last Sunday, volunteers noticed a young #seaturtle in a pond, which was not connected to the sea. Due to hide tide and heavy rainfall, the turtle had gotten in but was not able to get out. 🌧 Because of the sun and extreme heat, the water in the pond had reached really high temperatures. 🌡 A small #rescue team was quickly formed, and they were able to catch the animal. After a weigh and health check, the turtle was successfully released back into the #ocean.🏝 #curacaoturtles #seaturtleconservation #volunteers

🏝️ Klein Curacao is on fire🔥 The lady turtles come crawling ashore almost every night.🏖 #Nesting season is in full swing and so are our #volunteers! They investigate every track - to see if it's just an attempt or a succesful digged nest. Trying to find an eggchamber amidst multiple tracks and bodypits isn't easy in the heat of September ☀️ This looks like a great season 📈 #curacaoturtles #seaturtle #seaturtleconservation #curaçao #hatchlings

🗳 Vote for STCC! (link in comments) - and help us build a #rehabilitation center for #seaturtles in need 🐢 We have joined this year's contest of Wind Creek Hospitality, for a chance to win 1 out of 5 prizes of $10.000 USD... ...but we need your help to get as many votes as possible! 🥇 🏥 The money will help us get started on a long awaited project - a rescue center where: - injured turtles can receive the #medical attention needed 🩺 - passionate volunteers can educate and spread #awareness 📚 - scientists can combine #research efforts and analyse newfound data 🔬 - tourists can #learn how to interact with sea turtles without harming them and their habitat 🐢 Help us by voting through the link below (in the comments) and by sharing with your family and friends. Each vote counts! Thank you! #curacaoturtles #seaturtleconservation #seaturtle #protectwhatyoulove

🥵 High Temperature’s Impact on Sea Turtles 🐢 Sea turtle eggs are subject to temperature-dependent development, meaning the temperature of the sand where the eggs are incubated directly determines gender and influences the rate of embryonic development. 🇨🇼 On Klein Curaçao our Field Assistant Ingo van Veghel found a hatched nest which was 1 week premature to prognosed nesting. Also some odd eggs and stage of development were found. 🇦🇼 Our collegues on Aruba found a shocking correlation between higher temperatures and shorter incubation times. 📈 Higher temperatures inside the burried nests in the sand do shorten the incubation period for sea turtle eggs. ⏳ Warmer sand temperatures accelerate the metabolic processes of the growing embryos, which leads to speeding up the development rate of sea turtle embryos, reducing the time it takes for the eggs to hatch. While a shorter incubation period might seem beneficial, it can have negative consequences: ⚠️ Increased Risk of Malformations: Rapid development can sometimes result in developmental anomalies or malformations in hatchlings. 📉 Reduced Fitness: Hatchlings that develop too quickly in excessively high temperatures may have reduced physical fitness or lower survival rates once they enter the ocean. 🌡️ In addition to a shorter incubation period, higher temperatures tend to produce more female hatchlings due to temperature-dependent sex determination. ➡️ These factors combined, poses a risk to the long-term stability of sea turtle populations.

🤩 Awesome donation arrived 🤩 🐢 This beautiful, super realistic full scale dummy of a male green turtle is donated by Oceanogràfic València. 📐 He will be used in schools for education and awareness, but also for training our volunteers in measuring the carapace and the handling of a turtle. 📑 After a lot of paperwork, followed by a long and cautious journey from Spain, he was finally welcomed in Curacao. ✈️ 👀 You can already check him out at our information booth display! Masha danki, Oceanogràfic València #curacaoturtles #seaturtleconservation #seaturtle #curaçao

Another sad story on Klein Curaçao. 🥲 In the video you can see the route a lady green turtle had to take in trying to lay her eggs. Sadly she didn’t succeed because she kept on bumping into all the palapas (beach houses) and concrete blocks that were built on the beach. She went back into the sea without laying her eggs. We are advocating to make beaches more turtle-friendly. This involves taking steps to protect sea turtles and their nesting sites. Here’s how we can make beaches more welcoming for turtles: 🐢 Create safe pathways so turtles can't get stuck in obstacles 🐢 Don't place constructions on nesting grounds 🐢 Remove beach furniture during nesting season 🐢 Don't litter We have to stop making it more difficult for sea turtles to reach nesting areas or get making their way back into the ocean. #seaturtles #curacaoturtles #protectwhatyoulove

🚨”False nesting” report: turtle eggs found underwater (where they don’t belong) 🏝️ Female #seaturtles typically come ashore to dig nests in the sand and lay their eggs. However, if they are unable to find a suitable nesting site, perhaps due to #disturbances or lack of appropriate beach space, they may engage in a behavior known as "false nesting" or "spawning in the sea". In this situation, the female turtle releases her eggs directly into the water. These eggs have no chance to develop, as they lack the #protection and #incubation environment provided by a sand nest. This behavior is generally considered a last resort when external conditions prevent successful nesting on land. ⚠️ Sea turtles are already critically #endangered, so it’s unfortunate to see a whole nest completely lost. 🤝 Let’s join efforts to ensure our beaches more turtle friendly! (check out the comments to learn how) #curacao #seaturtleconservation

Emotional afternoon at Playa Forti yesterday A turtle was found #entangled in a masbangu net and had almost #drowned 😢 We carefully took the turtle on shore, where our field coordinator Ard Vreugdenhil started performing an #emergency CPR After a long while, everyone was happy to see the turtle finally taking a breath again! 😍 We kept on performing CPR until it got more responsive and started breathing on its own. Once its condition was stabialised, the turtle was brought to vet odette doest, where it was hooked on an oxygen machine. The turtle was then treated with painkillers and antibiotics for the fresh wounds on the carapace. 💊 👩⚕️ Today, we received an positive update from the vet: the turtle is doing well and has stabilised. The treatment will continue over the course of next week. 🫶 We are extremelly thankful to everyone who took part in #saving this turtle’s life! #curacaoturtles #protectwhatyoulove #curacao #turtlelove #feelitforyourself #seaturtles #seaturtleconservation Ingo van Veghel, Anke May Michelet, Saïtia Comenencia