View a live feed from the ‘turtle cams!’ 

MERR partners with state for shell incubation

LEWES (Oct. 7, 2011) – A clutch of nearly 190 eggs laid by an endangered green sea turtle on the beach at Cape Henlopen State Park in late August was successfully moved on Oct. 5 to a climate-controlled room at the University of Delaware’s College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment. The move marks the latest in a series of actions to help the nesting – the first of its kind recorded in Delaware – and ensure the safety of the eggs.

“Sea turtles usually lay their eggs on beaches in warmer climates, and the sand temperature was getting too low for them to survive,” said DNREC Biologist Edna Stetzar, who was part of the team that painstakingly excavated and moved the eggs.

DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife staff joined a group of 15 volunteers from MERR (the Marine Education, Research and Rehabilitation Institute), and spent more than an hour moving the ping-pong-ball-sized white eggs one by one into specially-prepared 22-quart styrofoam boxes. With a Fish and Wildlife Enforcement escort, the eggs were transported by car – very slowly, so as not to jostle their precious contents – to the nearby University of Delaware campus. In the climate-controlled chamber, under the watchful eyes of MERR volunteers, temperatures were gradually raised by 2 degrees every three hours with the goal of reaching optimal hatching temperature of about 80 degrees.

“These eggs have had a lot of obstacles,” said MERR Executive Director Suzanne Thurman, who led the MERR team in the delicate move. “But this is a big step in helping them survive.”

Since the nest’s discovery by a Delaware State Parks ranger who observed the green sea turtle mother laying the eggs near a jetty on Aug. 18, high tides, predators, hurricanes and tropical storms have threatened its survival. The nest was first protected from the encroaching tide by moving it to higher ground, and then protected from predators by erecting an enclosure around the site and posting 24 hour guard. A week after the first move, Hurricane Irene deposited a heavy14-inch layer of sand on top of the nest. After being carefully excavated by hand from the effects of Irene, volunteers were faced with the same task after Tropical Storm Lee.

The green sea turtle is protected by Delaware’s endangered species regulations as well as federally protected as a threatened species. As a result, any dealings must pass though strict regulations. “Since the nest was laid, we have been working closely with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Florida office and with North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission biologist Matthew Godfrey, who has experience with nesting,” Stetzar said. A special temperature module sent from North Carolina was buried in the sand at the same depth as the eggs, and helped make the determination that the eggs would have to be removed from the beach to have a chance of hatching, she said.

“We have such a devoted volunteer base, who at times stayed overnight to keep tabs on them. But it was still not the best conditions for them,” Thurman said.

After the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service granted permission to remove the eggs and incubate them, the Dean and faculty of the UD College of Marine Science and Policy gave permission to use their Lewes facility to incubate them. “We could not have done any of this without their incredible generosity,” Thurman said. Many individuals and organizations also have helped with this endeavor, including Delaware State Parks, the Greene Turtle restaurant and sports bar, and members of the public, she added.

The eggs are continuing to be closely monitored by MERR volunteers, and could possibly hatch by late October or early November. Depending on if and when they do, a plan will be executed to transport the hatchlings to the ocean and get them on their way into the Gulf Stream.  

“Water temperatures will be a big factor in where they can be safely released, so we’ll just have to see what the conditions are like if we have a hatch,” Stetzar said.

“A lot of people care very much about these little sea turtles, so we’ll keep hoping for the best,” said Thurman.

Above is footage submitted to us from residents that show a female Green Sea Turtle leaving her eggs on the beach in this history-making moment on Thursday, August 18, 2011. For more information, check out the story here,

UPDATE 8.29.11: The egg structure survived the storm and are now in the process of being crefully uncovered from a mound of sand by volunteers.

___________________________

Fenwick Minke stranding May 26, 2011

A 25-foot, 5-6 tons sub-adult female minke whale stranded in Fenwick Island on May 26, 2011. She stranded alive, but died shortly thereafter . She was emaciated when she reached shore. Initial necropsy results showed she hadn’t been eating and had an ulcerative condition in stomach. She also had an old entanglement scar on tail. Underlying conditions of the whale are unknown until lab results.

For additional footage of the minke stranding and subsequent MERR necropsy, visit Outdoors Delmarva and enter the search term “whale.”

_____________________________________________________

What to do in the case of a stranding

  • Report strandings and sightings immediately to MERR at (302) 228-5029
  • Do not touch or attempt to return animal to the water
  • Keep intrusions to a minimum — these animals stress easily and can die as a result
  • Live whales, dolphins and propoises can be kept cool and moist by pouring sea water on flippers and back (avoid blow hole)
  • Seals should be reported and observed only from a distance — do not approach a seal. They are very aggressive.
  • Sea turtles can be shaded and their flippers moistened with sea water until authorities arrive.

Do not move dead animals from stranding site. Examination must first be made by stranding authorities to determine cause of stranding.

Why respond to strandings?

  • Rescue of live animals for rehabilitation and release
  • Establish cause of stranding
  • Glean information from these indicator species regarding the health of the marine ecosystem
  • Obtain valuable biological data
  • Provide valuable data and samples to other scientific and edcational institutions

Why do these animals strand?

  • Illness due to natural causes
  • Injuries
  • Entanglement in fishing gear
  • Boat strikes
  • Ingestion of plastics and other marine debris
  • Constricting 6-pack rings
  • Toxins in the marine environment

Every year, marine mammals and sea turtle will strand, or beach, themselves along Delaware’s shores. MERR has a specially trained team of personnel who work cooperatively with federal, state and local authorities to respond to these animals.

To view images of some of the recent strandings that MERR has worked on, you can check out the photo albums on our Facebook page.

For more information, contact the MERR Institute at merrinstitute@gmail.com