Jupiter Island Friends and Neighbors,
We are so excited to see the season starting up later this month and more of you returning to the Island that we love so much. We are hoping that the worst of hurricane season is behind us, and we wanted to share a few environmental and community updates with you as you prepare to return.
Leatherback Turtle At Risk
There is potential danger on the horizon for sea turtles in South Florida. The Leatherback turtle, which joined the endangered species list in 1970, is now believed to be at risk due to rising temperatures in South Florida. Leatherback turtles make their nests all along the east coast of Florida, however, the highest concentrations are found on Jupiter and Singer Island.
A study conducted by Sarah Milton of FAU examined 12 leatherback turtle nests in Juno Beach, examining them in the early, middle and late stages of the turtle nesting season. The study concluded that, “The hatching success rate was 44% in the early season when the nest temperatures reached 92.48 degrees, over 69% in the middle of the season when the nest reached 94.46 degrees and 49% in the late season when the nest reached 95.72 degrees.”
Even with some hatch rates being less than 50%, crawling out of the nest is half the battle. The late season leatherback turtles developed quicker due to the temperatures. This leads to them being born smaller, thus having greater problems with coordination and making it less likely for them to make it in the ocean.
Scientists like Milton are hopeful for a solution to the problem that would help save a greater number of these endangered turtles. Statistically, 1 in a 1000 of these turtles will survive to adulthood. “You’d have to cool off 50 nests to maybe have one make it to adulthood,” Milton said in the Miami Herald. “So you just can’t do it on a practical scale, no one has the time and manpower to do that on the beach. They just don’t need the disadvantage of rising temperatures from the get-go.”