ISLAND RESOURCES FOUNDATION 
Can'bbean Headquarters 
RED HOOK BOX 33. ST. THOMAS 
U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS 00802 
(809) 775·6225 
Heport on 
Washington, D. C. Office 
1718 P STREET. N.W .. SUITE T4 
WASHINGTON. D.C. 20036 
(202) 265-971 2 
Sea Turtle Nesting, Sighting, Eggs and 
Hatchlings for 1978 in the U. S. Virgin Islands 
and a recommended research methodology 
for dealing with hatchling disorientation 
on the beach (with specific reference to 
leatherback nests at Sandy Point St. Croix) 
Pursuant to NOAA/NMFS Purchase Order 
#01- 8-D08-00187 
Submitted for 
Island Hesources Foundation 
(a non-profit research organization) 
October 30, 1978 
by 
Dr. Edward L. Towle 
Executive Director 
with the assistance of 
Dr. David Olsen1 
U. S. National Park Service, VINP 
Mr. William Hainey1 
Mitll [' H 6 he:rt I '.T·e.:yt 9- Ud~i.~l· 
Mr. Michael Kenned~2 
Mr. Hichard Dewey 
Mr. Theodore Skov2 
Dr. Caroline Hogers3 
Virgin Is lands Fishermen 
1 Island Hesources Foundation 
2 Virgin Islands Department of Conservation and Cultural Affairs 
3 West Indies Laboratories 
i 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
1. Survey of Available St. Croix Data on Sea Turtle 
Nesting Beaches and Offshore Sightings 
2. Summary of Available Data on 1977-78 Turtle 
Nesting Beaches in St. Thomas-St. John 
3. Disorientation and Related Mortality in Leather-
back (Dermocrelys coriacea) Hatchlings at Sandy 
Point, St. Croix, U. S. Virgin Islands 
LIST OF TABLES 
TABLE A - Turtle Nesting Beaches, St. Croix, U. S. 
Page No. 
1 - 13 
14 - 22 
23 - 28 
Virgin Islands 
6 - 7 
TABLE B - National Park Service, Buck Island 
9 
TABLE C - West Indies Laboratory Sightings Since 
6/15/78 (Dr. Caroline Rogers) 
12 
TABLE D - Summary of Interviews Reporting Turtle 
Nesting Activity for Leatherback and 
Hawksbill Turtles in St. Thomas and 
St. John, U. S. Virgin Islands 
TABLE E - Summary of Reported Recent Turtle Nest-
ing Activities in St. Thomas, U. S. V. 1., 
Listed by Nesting Beach 
17 - 19 
20 
ii 
LIST OF FIGURES 
FIGURE I - Turtle Nesting Beaches. St. Croix 
1976 - 1978 
FIGURE II - 1978 Turtle Sightings/Fishermen 
FIGURE III - Turtle Sightings/Charter Captains-
Divers 
FIGURE IV - 1978 Turtle Sightings. Dr. Caroline 
Rodgers. WIL 
FIGURE V - Summary of 109 Hawksbill and Leather.,-
back Turtle Nesting Reports for 1978 
in St. Thomas and St. John. U. S. 
Virgin Is lands 
FIGURE VI - Location of St. Thomas and St. John 
Turtle Nesting Beaches 
Page, No. 
8 
10 
11 
13 
21 
22 
-1-
SURVEY OF AVAILABLE ST. CROIX DATA ON SEA 
TURTLE NESTING BEACHES AND OFFSHORE 
SIGHTINGS 
This summary c'ontains information derived from personal 
records of Michael Kennedy and Theodore Skov, records kept 
by Dr. Caroline Rogers of West Indies Laboratory at Kennedy's 
request, records of the National Park Service, and interviews 
by Kennedy with 9 divers and dive-tour operators, 3 charter-
boat operators, and 10 fishermen. 
A. 
Nesting Beaches 
(1) 
Data from personal records of T. Skov and M. Kennedy, 
DCCA conservation enforcement officers, are presented in 
Table A. 
Numbers represent their best estimates of numbers 
of nests per year, as recorded from their incidental (i.e., 
non-systematic) observations between 1976 to the present. 
Note that the species in most cases were inferred from such 
indications as size of tracks, size and location of nest pits, 
etc. 
Figure I shows the location of these beaches on a map of 
St. Croix. 
If one lists as "major" nesting beaches those areas where 
10 or more nests are observed per year, the following ranking 
is obtained: 
Major leatherback nesting beaches: 
l. 
Sandy Point - tip 
and 
Northwest 
2. 
Punnett Bay (Shoy's) 
3. 
Coakley Bay 
4 • 
Sandy Point - Southeast 
5. 
Manchioneel Bay 
6. 
Prune Bay -
(actually only 9/year listed) 
-2 -
Major Hawksbill nesting beaches: 
1. 
Jack Bay 
2. 
Green Cay Beach 
3. 
Manchioneel Bay 
4. 
Coakley Bay 
Major Green Nesting Beaches: 
1. 
Manchioneel Bay 
One should keep in mind the "softness" of the above data and 
use caution in drawing conclusions from it, but it is felt that 
it does give a fairly reliable indication of which beaches are 
most heavily nested. 
Kennedy sighted a group of 27 leatherbacks of the NW corner 
of St. Croix, and 10 turtles of undetermined species along the 
south shore from Turner Hole to Watch Ho while making a circuit 
of the island by helicopter on May 23, 1978. 
These sightings 
are indicated on Figure II by the symbols Kl and K2 , respectively. 
(2) 
Data on Buck Island from records of Robert Thomas, 
National Park Service ranger, are presented in Table B. 
Since 
the park service rangers attempt to erase the tracks of 
nesting turtles so the nests will not be poached, no species 
data is available. Diedrich's Point on the south shore appears 
to be the major nesting beach with 19 recorded nests, followed 
by the west end beach with 12 nests, and the north shore with 
7 nests. 
-3 -
B. 
Offshore Sightings 
(1) 
Data from interviews with fishermen are plotted as 
Figure II and summarized below; all data are fo'r 1978: 
Fishermen 
1. 
Robert Vertichio (vessel, capt. Ross) -
saw about 
7 good-sized turtles (3'-4') on Lang Bank, 3-6 miles 
due east of East Point. 
Saw about the same number 
(7) on southern part of bank (good-sized) from Great 
Pond eastwards. 
2. 
Jim Vertichio (vessel, Capt. Ross) (not interviewed 
personally, communication with Robert V., above) -
saw mating just off reef at Yellowcliff Bay. 
Also 
saw a couple of small turtles inside reef. 
3. 
Joe Christmas (vessel, Capt. Ross) - has seen all 
kinds including loggerhead. 
About 50 between 
Estate Anquilla and Texaco storage tanks west of 
airport. 
4. 
Teddy Skov -
saw about 100-150 turtles all along 
south shore from East Point to Sandy Point, hawksbills 
and greens 18"-4'. 
Hawksbills seen between Salt 
River and Cane Bay, unidentified species north point 
of Lang Bank. 
Saw 3 greens mating east of Buck 
Island, 1 hawksbill mating SE of Lang Bank. 
5. 
Robert MacAuliffe (vessel, Miss Bertha) -
saw 150-200 
greens and hawksbills on Lang Bank east of Buck 
Island around to Grapetree Bay. 
All sizes; no mating. 
6. 
Michael Lombard (vessel, Kali) -
has seen about 200 
greens and hawksbills, primarily on southern half 
of Lang Bank -
18" - 3'; no mating. 
7. 
Vladimir Prince -
saw about 1 or 2 green or hawksbills 
each trip on Bayside of Sandy Point; no mating. 
8. 
Valentino Lugo, Jr. -
saw between 50-100 what he 
called whitebacks (greens) by bank south of Sandy 
Point. 
Sizes range from hatchlings to 3'-4'; no 
mating. 
About 5 years ago, he saw about 2000 leather-
back hatchlings just offshore (1/2 mile south side of 
Sandy Point). 
9. 
Hank Jones -
saw 30-40 hawksbills from Butler Bay 
around to Ham's Bluff, Mostly NW of (3-6 miles) Ham's 
Bluff; no mating. 
-4-
10. 
Jay Huber (Captain, C-J) -
has seen a few (3-5) 
green turtles west of NW corner of Buck Island in 
deep water. 
(2) 
Data from interviews with charter-boat captains and 
divers are shown on Figure III and summarized below; data are 
for 1978: 
Dive Operators/Charter Boat Captains 
1. 
Brian Friedman (Operator, Pressure Ltd. Dive Charters) -
has seen about 30 turtles that looked like greens, 
sizes from 18" to 4', between the North Cut and the 
trail at Buck Island. 
Also saw about 30 on Scotch 
Bank. 
No matings this year, 1 mating last year east 
of White Horse. 
2. 
Brian Bishop (Diver, Aqua Engineers) -
has seen 
about 6 hawksbill from 1'-3' long on Lang Bank, 
southern side. 
Also saw 8 leatherbacks off Mannings 
Bay. 
No mating. 
Saw 1 green about 3' at Anally Bay. 
3. 
Don Bishop (Diver, Aqua Engineers) - has seen about 
6 hawksbill off East Point around to Jack's Bay, 1'-3'. 
No mating. 
4. 
Michelle Pugh (VI Divers) -
has seen more than 30 
hawksbill between North Star and Cane Bay; usually 
only sees' l' or 3' turtles. 
Not many in-between 
gizes. 
Has seen a hawksbill on Buck Island trail at 
night. 
Some of the large turtles had barnacles. 
No 
mating. 
5. 
Bill Walker (Diving Manager, VI Divers) -
has seen 
about 10 at Cane Bay, all near shore inside of 
dropoff. 
No mating. 
6. 
Junie Bomba (Capt. of vessel North Star) - has seen 
between 150-200 greens or hawksbills. 
Says there 
seems to be two main groups: 
one north of Green Cay 
on the dropoff, and one south of Dietrich's Point 
Buck Island. 
Also 1 leatherback west of Buck Island 
in deep water. 
Has seen newly-born leatherbacks in 
trail at Buck Island. 
Saw 1 mating north of Green Cay. 
7. 
Teddy Clark (Teddy's Charter Service) -
has seen 
150-200 between C'sted Harbor and Buck Island. 
Heaviest north of Green Cay and south of Buck Island. 
Seen especially when it's calm. 
Mostly large (3'); 
Saw about 12 newborn leatherbacks inshore near beach 
on north side of Buck Islanq at· one time. Has seen 
3-4 matings in past 5 years.' 
8. 
-5-
Edward Wendt (Co-operator, Above & 
has seen about 100 turtles, mostly 
Kings' Reef (SW of F'sted Pier) to 
1 big 5' hawksbill at Butler Bay. 
No mating, 
Below Dive Shop) -
hawksbill, from 
Butler Bay, 18"-4', 
No leatherbacks. 
9. 
Gene Tepe (Co-operator, Above & Below Dive Shop) -
has seen about 50 green and hawksbills at Cane 
Bay. 
About 10 greens by sunken barge off F'sted 
Pier. 
No mating. 
10. 
Peter Winnicki (Diver) - has seen about 30 green or 
hawksbills, mostly hawksbill, 18"-4'. 
No mating. 
Sighted at Butler Bay and along west coast from F'sted 
Pier north. 
11. 
Robert Butcher (Diver, Carribean Sea Adventures) -
saw 20-30 turtles this year off Pull Point, about 
5 off Scotch Bank. 
1-2 matings last year. 
A group 
off Diedrich's Point and a group off Pull Point. 
(3) 
Data on turtle sightings by West Indies Lab personnel 
have been collected by Dr. Caroline Rogers since July 15, 1978, 
and are presented in Table C and Figure IV. 
About 10 turtles 
of undetermined species were sighted during a flight between 
Christiansted and the eastern tip of the island on August 15, 
1978. 
(4) 
The only data available (for St. Croix) from the 
Department of Conservation and Cultural Affairs for 1978, is for 
the one week period, July ~4-20, dur~ng which DCCA officers and 
National Marine Fishery Service agents mounted a turtle sur-
veillance at Sandy Point, Shoy's Beach and Prune Bay. 
No 
nesting females or hatchlings were seen. 
Aside from this joint 
operation, no official DCCA nesting surveillance has been 
carried out on St. Croix during 1978 
-6-
TABLE A - Turtle Nesting Beaches, st. Croix, u.s. Virgin Islands l 
Location 
1. 
New Fort 
2. 
Beauregard Bay 
3. 
Shoy's Point 
4. 
Punnett Bay (Shoy's Beach) 
5. 
Green Cay Beach 
6. 
Prune Bay (Pull Point) 
7. 
Coakley Bay 
8. 
Roebuck's Beach (Solitude) 
9. 
Teagues Bay (West) 
10. 
Smuggler's Cove 
11. 
Knight Bay 
12. 
Boiler Bay 
13. 
Teytaud's Beach 
14. 
East End Bay 
15. 
Isaac Bay 
16. 
Jack Bay 
17. 
Grapetree Bay 
18. 
Turner Hole 
19. 
Rod Bay 
20. 
Robin Bay 
21. 
H' Penny Bay 
22. 
Manchioneel Bay 
23. 
Cane garden Bay 
24. 
Manning's Bay 
25. 
Hope & Carlton Land 
26. 
Sandy Point (Southeast) 
27. 
Sandy Point (tip & NW) 
28. 
La Grange 
29. 
Prosperity to Sprat Hall 
30. 
Sprat Hole 
31. 
Butler Bay 
32. 
Ham's Bay 
33. 
Maroon Hole 
Approximate No. Nests/Year 
3 Green and 2-3 Leatherback 
Historical Green and Hawksbill 
1-2 Leatherback 
25 Leatherback, 2-3 Green or Hawksbil 
15 Hawksbill and 2 Leatherback 
9 Leatherback and 2-3 Hawksbi11 
15-20 Leatherbacks and 5-10 Hawksbil1 
3 Green 
2-3 Hawksbill 
2-3 Green and 2-3 Hawksbil1 
3-5 Green 
1-3 Hawksbill 
1-3 Hawksbill 
3 Hawksbill 
7-8 Hawksbi11 and 1-2 Leatherback 
25 Hawksbi11 and 1-2 Leatherback 
3J..i5 Hawksbil1 and 3-5 Green 
1-2 Hawksbill and 1-2 Green 
5 Hawksbil1 and Green 
5 Hawksbi11 and Green 
5 Hawksbill 
10 each Hawksbi11, Green & Leatherbac 
4-5 Hawksbill 
1-2 Green 
2-3 Hawksbill 
15 Leatherback and 3-4 Hawksbill 
80 Leatherback and 3-5 Green and 
Hawksbill 
3-5 Green 
5 Green 
1-2 Hawksbi11 
1-2 Hawksbill 
1-2 Hawksbil1 
5 Hawksbill and 5 Green 
-7-
Page 2 -
Table A - Turtle Nesting Beaches, St. Croix - Cont. 
Location 
34. 
Annaly Bay 
35. 
Davis Bay 
36. 
North Star 
37. 
Cane Bay 
38. 
Rust Op Twist 
39. 
Salt River (West point) 
40. 
Tourquoise Bay 
4l. 
Judith's Fancy (St. John) 
42. 
Buck Island 2 
Approximate No. Nests/Yr. 
1-3 Green 
3 Hawksbill, 3 Leatherback, 4 Green 
5 Hawksbill 
3 Hawksbill 
3 Hawksbill 
3-5 Hawksbill or Green 
5 Hawksbill or Green 
5 Hawksbill or Green 
49 (no species given) 
lSource: 
M. Kennedy & T. Skov, incidental observations between 
1976-1978. 
Species inferred from size of tracks and 
characteristics of nest pit. 
2Buck Island data from National Park Service, for 1978 only. 
FIGURE I 
TURTLE NESTING BEACHES, ST. CROIX 
1976-1978 
4{? 
3 r 
'--'"'-' 
~ 
Js 
Q 
./ 20 19 
I ro 
I 
) 
IJ~~ 
27\ ~ 
...........--14 
26 
NOTE: 
NUMBERS CORESPOND TO BEACHES LISTED ON TABLE I 
Source: 
M. Kennedy, T. Skov, N.P.S. 
-9-
. TABLE B -
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, BUCK ISLAND 
July 1978 
17 new nests 
1 recorded hatch -
hawksbill 
3 nests destroyed by poachers 
August 1978 
12 new nests 
2 recorded hatches - green 
2 nests destroyed by poachers 
1 nest destroyed by mongoose 
September 1978 
9 new nests 
2 recorded hatches 
2 nests destroyed by unknown sources 
i 
*" 
\ 
\ *&~ 
*.----
* 
KEY 
* 
SIGHTINGS 
# 
MATINGS SIGHTED 
L IGUl:<E II 
1978 Turtle Sightings/F~sherrnen 
* 
~ 
*----------~----
_.* 
*~. 
*-----* SIGHTINGS OVER AN AREA 
,t 
* 
* 
* 
C? 
U#~ 
i 
/*/. 
--./ 
./" 
I 
./ 
..... 
Q----/ 
~ 
-----*? 
K2 ':::---
# 
* 
-----------/* 
* 
FIGURE III 
1978 
TURTLE 
ST~HTINGS/CHARTER CAPT~INS-DIVERS 
*C 
** 
~ 
*.1 
KEY . 
* SIGHTINGS 
* 
* SIGHTINGS OVER AN AREA 
*A,*B,*C GROUPS OF TURTLES 
# MATINGS 
9 
* 
* 
~ 
~ 
-12-
TABLE C -
WEST INDIES LABORATORY SIGHTINGS SINCE 6/15/78 
(Dr. Caroline Rogers) 
Date 
6/15 
6/19 
6/21 
6/29 
6/30 
7/13 
7/14 
7/15 
7/19 
7/22 
7/21 
7/16 
7/25 
8/4 
8/4 
8/5 
8/12 
8/13 
8/15 
8/18 
8/15 
8/20 
9/6 
9/16 
9/29 
No. 
1 
1 
2 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
10 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
Location 
Smuggler's Cove 
Patch Reef #1 
White Horse 
Smuggler's Cove 
Boiler Bay 
Boiler Bay 
Buck Island 
Salt River 
Buck Island 
North Star 
Outside Jacks Bay 
Grapetree Bay 
Grapetree Bay 
Buck Island 
Judith's Fancy 
NorthEast Cane Bay 
West End Buck Island 
Approx. 
Kind 
Size 
? 
12" 
Green 
18" 
Hawksbi11 
2' 
Gr. or Hawks. 
2' 
Hawksbi11 
3' 
Gr. or Hawks. 
2' 
Gr. or Hawks. 
2' 
Gr. or Hawks. 
4' 
Hawksbi11 
18" 
Hawksbi11 
3' 
? 
3'-4' 
? 
3' 
? 
1'-11/2 , 
Hawksbi11 
11/2' 
Hawksbi11 
11/21 
Hawksbi11 
2' 
Green 
North Shore,Buck Island 
Hawksbill 
3' 
I' 
C'sted to East Point (flight) 
? 
West Wall, Salt River Cnyn. 
? 
North Shore, Buck Island 
? 
North Star 
? 
East Shore, Buck Island 
Hawksbil1 
East Buck Island 
Hawksbill 
North Cut Buck Island 
Hawksbi11 
? 
3' 
21/2' 
2' 
18" 
10" 
18" 
* 
PIGURE IV 
1978 TURTLE SIGHTINGS 1 
* 
/t1 
~~Q 
KEY 
* SIGHTINGS 
1 
* 
* AERIAL FLIGHT 8/15/78 
* 
SOURCE: 
DR. CAROLINE ROGERS , Data on incidental sightings since 6/15/78 
** 
*-** 
, * 
C?* 
** 
* 
I -
w 
-14-
SUMMARY OF AVAILABLE DATA ON 
1977-78 TURTLE NESTING BEACHES 
IN ST. THOMAS-ST. JOHN 
Data for this summary of sea turtle nesting and sightings 
on st. Thomas and St. John was acquired through interviewing 
63 commercial fishermen and 6 recreational fishermen, one Park 
Ranger, and one government Shoreline Management staff member. 
Most of the fishermen were not aware of any turtle nesting 
activities since most of their fishing activities took place 
offshore. 
In all we had 15 respondents who had observed some 
sort of nesting related activity. 
The results presented contain 
several possible biases 
which must be considered. 
The first 
bias involves the failure of most of the fishermen to remember 
anything but recent nesting activity within the 4 months pre-
ceeding the interview. 
Only one fisherman had any information 
for the 1977 nesting year. 
There were several cases where dates 
were obviously confused (for example "end of April, first of 
October" was given for a nesting observation which later was 
described as about 2 weeks ago). 
There were also several cases 
where the same nesting activity was reported by different respon-
dents so that the results may reflect slight redundancy of nesting 
activity. 
Therefore, these data are probably over-estimates of the 
turtle population in that multiple reporting of the same nesting 
activity and mUltiple nestings by the same turtle are not dis-
tinguished. 
The final bias in the results came from an obvious 
reluctance to admit any predation. 
One of the respondents admitted 
'to catching one of the nesting turtles but there may have been 
additional unreported predation. 
-15-
Five respondents reported that mongooses (Herpestes 
auropunctatus ) prey on the nests. 
Dr. David Nellis of the 
Department of Conservation and Cultural Affairs, who has 
undertaken research on mongooses says that they would be 
secondary predators in that they 
would not dig the eggs from the 
sand, but would prey on already 
opened nexts. 
Ten different 
respondents said that turtles are not nesting as frequently 
as before because there are too many lights around the nesting 
beaches. 
At least 35 of the fishermen interviewed said that there 
were more turtles in the waters than in previous years. 
Turtle sightings covered most of the inshore from Lameshur 
Bay on St. John, to Savanna Island, west of St. Thomas. 
Turtles 
were sighted on the Atlantic side of the islands from west Cay.to 
Leinster Bay on st. John. 
Turtles are frequently sighted 
throughout the bays and waters comprising Pillsbury Sound. 
The 
absence of reports from outside the previously described areas is 
probably a function of the fact that the persons interviewed 
don't fish outside of these areas. 
For example, the author 
has seen turtles (Hawksbills and Greens) in Coral Bay, although 
none were reported during the interviewing process. 
Most of 
the fishermen agreed that Hawksbills were more abundant than 
Green turtles although no quantitative data could be derived from 
the interviews. 
No one reported any other species except for 
the leatherback nesting in Magen's Bay. 
One of the fishermen interviewed reported butchering one 
turtle. 
There were two additional reports of turtles being 
-16-
butchered and one nest opening reported. 
Curiously, most of 
the fishermen stated that they did not care for turtle products. 
-17-
TABLE D. 
Summary of Interviews Reporting Turtle Nesting 
Activity for Leatherback and Hawksbill Turtles in 
St. Thomas and St. John, u.S. Virgin Islands. 
INTERVIEW: 
Place 
#1 
Little Hans Lol1ik 
Big Hans Lol1ik (Dry Bays) 
Inner Brass 
Caret Bay 
Nel tj eberg Bay 
Mermaid's Chair 
Salt Cay 
West Cay 
Magens Bay 
Little Hans Lollik 
#2 
Little Hans Lollik 
Big Hans Lol1ik 
Magen's Bay 
West Cay 
Inner Brass 
Little Hans Lol1ik 
Big Hans Lollik 
Frenchman's Bay 
Penn Bay 
Bordeaux Beach 
Caret Bay 
Neltjeborg Bay 
Magen's Bay 
Bordeaux 
Inner Brass 
Caret Bay 
Caret Bay 
#3 
Salt Cay 
#4 
Little Hans Lollik 
Inner Brass 
Salt Cay 
Date 
August 2~-25, 1978 
August 23-30, 1978 
August 23-30, 1978 
August 23-30, 1978 
September 1-6,1978 
September 1-6,1978 
September 1-6, 1978 
September 1-6, 1978 
October 9, 1978 
October 27, 1978 
October 2, 1977, 
October 2, 1977 
May 5, 1978 
July ]3, 1978 
July 19-22, 1978 
July 19-27, 1978 
July 19-27, 1978 
July 19, 1978 
July 20, 1978 
July 19-28, 1978 
July 21" 1978 
August 3, 1978 
August 19, 1978 
August 19, 1978 
August 22, 1978 
August 22, 1978 
October 18, 1978 
August, 1978 
October 18, 1978 
October 18, 1978 
October 18, 1978 
Nesting 
4 Hawksbills 
6 Hawksbills 
3 Hawksbills 
6 Hawksbills 
(1 butchered, 
1 nest opened) 
1 Hawksbill 
(1 butchered) 
1 Hawksbill 
1 Hawksbil1, no sand 
on beach, didn't nes' 
2 Hawksbills 
1 Hawksbill 
4 Hawksbills 
5 Hawksbi11s 
9 Hawksbills 
1 Leatherback 
1 Hawksbil1 
2 Hawksbills 
6 Hawksbills 
7 Hawksbills 
1 Hawksbill 
1 Hawksbil1 
4 Hawksbills 
2 Hawksbi11s 
2 Hawksbil1s 
1 Hawksbil1 
2 Hawksbills 
2 Hawksbills 
2 Hawksbi11s 
1 Hawksbil1 (butcher, 
1 Hawksbi11 
1 Hawksbill 
2 or 3 Hawksbi11s 
2 Hawksbills 
(mating observed) 
TABLE D. Continued. 
INTERVIEW: 
Place 
#5 
Pelican Beach 
Smith Bay 
Great Bay 
Grass Cay (South Side) 
Mingo Cay (Southwest 
End) 
#6 
Little Coculus Bay 
Fortuna Bay 
#7 
Mingo Cay (Southwest End) 
#8 
Sandy Cay (BVI) 
#9 
Sandy Cay (BVI) 
#]0 
Great St. James 
(Bare Ass Bay) 
#11 
Trunk Bay (St. John) 
Hawksnest Bay (St. John) 
#12 
Trunk Bay 
Trunk Bay 
#13 
Bordeaux 
Caret Bay 
Dog Island 
Little Coculus 
-18-
Date 
? (in past) 
? (in past) 
? (in past) 
October 2-5, 1978 
September 30, 1978 
September, 1978 
September, 1978 
End of September, 1978 
August, 1978 
September, 1978 
August, 1978 
late summer, 1977 
summer, 1978 
summer, 1978 
June, 1978 
July-August, 1977 
September 10-20, 1978 
September 10-20, 1978 
September 10-20, 1978 
September 10-20, 1978 
Nesting 
1 Hawksbill 
1 Hawksbill 
1 Hawksbill 
1 Hawksbill 
1 Hawksbill 
numerous 
numerous 
numerous 
nest hatching observe 
nest hatching observe 
nest hatching observe 
1 set tracks observed 
8-10 tracks observed 
3 Hawksbills 
2 Hawksbills 
4 Hawksbills 
1 Hawksbill 
-19-
TABLE D. Continued. 
INTERVIEW: 
Place 
#14 
Bordeaux 
Caret Bay 
Hans Lollik (either) 
Stumpy Bay 
#15 
Jumbi Bay, St. John 
Date 
October 20, 1978 
October, 1978 
Late October, 1978 
Late October, 1978 
Late July, 1978 
Nesting 
2 Hawksbills 
1 Hawksbill 
several 
2 Hawksbills 
2 Hawksbills 
-20-
TABLE E. 
Summary of Reported Recent Turtle Nesting Activities 
in St. Thomas, U.S.V.I., Listed by Nesting Beach. 
Nesting Beach 
Number of Nestings 
Little Hans Lollik 
15 (5 in 1977) 
Big Hans Lollik 
13 (9 in 1977) 
Inner Brass 
10 
Caret Bay 
14 
Neltjeberg Bay 
3 
Salt Cay 
2 
West Cay 
3 
Magen's Bay 
2 
Penn Bay 
1 
Frenchman's Bay 
1 
Bordeaux Beach 
11 
Grass Cay 
1 
Mingo Cay 
2 
Little Coculus Bay 
2 
Fortuna Bay 
1 
Sandy Cay (BVI) 
numerous 
Great St. James 
nest hatching 
Trunk Bay, St. John 
nest hatching 
Hawk's Nest, St. John 
nest hatching 
Fish Bay, St. John 
reported (time indefinite) 
Dog Island 
4 
Mermaid's Chair 
1 
Stumpy Bay 
2 
Jumbi Bay, St. John 
2 (8-10 in 1977) 
60 kj ••• ···.~ •• J·.· •. 
i~.~ .. ; 
.:=J:~~i-:~f·~ ••. L~~i-=IJit~.~i· .•..... , 
50 
40 
CJ) 30 
19 
Z 
H 
E--< 
CJ) 20 
fl..1 
Z 
/ .. -----_._ .. 
q 
~ 1
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I Feb. 
~ 
Jan. 
19l"i3.._ 
.," 
. -'-'.-'" ····-·l 
, 
., 
.••••• ---.----j •. -
-- '·"1 
-----...j._- .- .. 
Dec. 
.•....... 
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___ ..I 
FIGURE V. Summary of 109 Hawksbill and Leatherback Turtle Nesting Reports for 1978 in 
St. Thomas and St. John, U. S. Virgin Islands. 
I 
t-.:) -
I 
~ 1978 nesting activity on previously reported beaches. 
n~ 1978 nesting activity on previously unreported beache~ 
P~Previous1y reported beaches (Rainey, 1976) not reported in 1978. 
r~Reported beaches used in past. Year not given by interviewee. 
h~~atching observed in 1978. 
D -
~ 
6 
1:"tf 
FIGURE VI. Location of St. Thomas and St. John Turtle Nesting Beaches. 
4iI 
-23-
DISORIENTATION AND RELATED MORTALITY IN LEATHERBACK 
(Dermoch~lys coriacea) HATCHLINGS AT SANDY POINT, 
ST. CROIX, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS 
A. 
Background and Statement of the Problem: 
Information regarding the mortality of hatchling sea 
turtles is crucial to any proposed management program, yet it 
is not available 
for any population in the Virgin Islands. 
There 
is some evidence that at Sandy Point a significant number of 
leatherback hatchlings may fail to locate the sea after emerging 
from the nest and die on the beach, either by predation or as 
a result of dessication. 
In order to find the most direct route to the sea, hatchlings 
depend on a tropotactic visual orientation system that has 
been well described by Mrosovsky (1,2,3), Mrosovsky and Carr (4), 
Mrosovsky and Shettleworth (5), Ehrenfeld (6), and Ehrenfeld and 
Carr (7) for the Green and Hawksbill turtles. 
Mrosovsky and 
Shettleworth (8) studied the significance of circling movements 
observed in leatherback hatchlings, and Mrosovsky (11) reported on 
individual differences in their sea-finding mechanism. 
Aside 
from these two studies, there seems to be little quantitative 
experimental work on the water-finding orientation of leatherback 
hatchlings. 
It is generally assumed that the orientation 
system of leatherbacks is similar to that described for green 
turtles. 
In all cases studied, sea-finding orientation seems to 
depend on the fact that there is nearly always a massive bright-
ness differential between the seaward and landward horizons 
under natural conditions, with the seaward horizon being the 
brighter. 
-24-
During the 1977 surveillance of the nesting beach at 
Sandy Point by NMFS and DCCA it was observed that sometimes 
entire groups of leatherback hatchlings would leave the nest 
pit and travel parallel to the surf line for long distances, or 
even go inland, instead of going to the water by the shortest 
route. 
Many became entangled in the underbrush and died of 
dessication. 
No data is available on the percentage of hatchlings 
displaying this aberrant behavior, but the problem was felt 
to be so serious that the NMFS and DCCA officers took to collecting 
all the hatchlings they could find and hand carrying them to 
the water's edge. 
Those present soon became convinced that the hatchlings 
were being attracted to the sky glow created by the lights of 
Hess Oil Refinery and the lights of the town of Frederiksted, 
which quite noticeably brighten the horizon in a landward 
direction. 
This hypothesis is supported by the observation of 
MacFarlane (9), who reported disorientation in loggerhead 
hatchlings as a result of artificial lights near the nesting 
beach in Florida, and by the fact that green turtle hatchlings 
can be attracted by handheld lanterns (5). 
On one occasion, 
Hawksbill hatchlings in St. Croix were found crossing a road near 
the nesting beach and heading towards a nearby ballpark where a 
game was in progress under the lights (10). 
A similiar event 
has been reported at Bolongo Beach on St. Thomas 
where Hawks-
bill hatchlings headed for lighted tennis courts adjacent to 
the beach. 
-25-
Any attempt to assess leatherback hatchling mortality on 
the beach at Sandy Point must therefore take into account the 
possibility that a major contributing factor in mortality may 
be a tropotactic response to artificial lights. 
This response 
could prove to be very damaging to the stock because: 
(a) a 
rigidly programmed piece of behavior which evolved under 
natural conditions as an effective survival response is 
perverted so that the behavior becomes anti-survival, (b) the 
severity of the problem is expected to increase over time as 
development proceeds, and (c) it is difficult to find an effective 
solution for management. 
It is proposed to establish a critical 
habitat for the leatherback at Sandy Point, which would extend 
two-tenths of a mile inland. 
However, should development take 
place on Sandy Point itself (and at present this seems very 
likely) then an increased amount of artificial light from, say, 
a condominium development, could well precipitate mass mortalities 
of hatchlings with possibly serious impact on the viability of 
the stock. 
A first approach to assessing the significance of dis-
orientation as a factor in beach mortality of the hatchlings 
at Sandy Point could be made by combining an experimental analysis 
of orientation with measurements of the horizontal radiance 
distribution. 
This data would be augmented by observations 
of actual mortality. 
Such information would be useful in 
designing a management strategy for the stock, and it would 
also serve as a benchmark by which to guage the effects of the 
,"-
anticipated increase in artificial lighting in the future. 
-26-
Various courses of action to ameliorate the problem could then 
be explored in the light of this study. 
B. 
Suggested Experimental Approach 
Hatchlings would be collected at Sandy Point as they 
emerge from the nest, given various orientation tests, and 
then released into the sea on the same night. 
Orientation arenas 
as described in (4) and (5) would be used to quantify the 
responses of the turtles. 
Before each test the radiance 
distribution of the horizon from hatchling-eye-Ievel at the 
center of the arena would be quantified by suitable instrumenta-
tion. 
An attempt would be made to relate the preferred 
orientation direction of hatchlings under various experimental 
and control procedures to the radiance distribution recorded by 
instrument. 
Brightness cues could be manipulated during 
experimental runs by screening various portions of the horizon 
(from the viewpoint of the hatchlings) with black plastic, in 
a manner similar to the methods of Mrosovsky and Shettleworth 
( 5) • 
Since leatherbacks nest in two different situations at 
Sandy Point (a) on the lower beach, and (b) on top of the berm, 
it would probably be necessary to replicate each experiment at 
both locations. 
"Dry runs" using this experimental procedure have been 
carried out at Sandy Point, and it is estimated that a team 
of 4-5 persons could collect-enough data for statistically 
-27-
significant results in a total of about 100 hours of field work, 
(400 to 500 man hours) provided that the nest locations and 
the approximate date of hatching were determined ahead of time 
by a daily nesting survey in the peak of the nesting season. 
If no nesting survey were undertaken, then collection of 
adequate numbers of hatchlings would be much more of a hit-or-
miss procedure, and the estimated time in the field for the 
entire team would have to be significantly increased. 
It 
would be more economical to employ one person to make a daily 
nest count throughout the nesting season, thereby enabling the 
team to predict the approximate dates of hatchling emergence. 
As the opportunity arose, naturalistic observations would 
be made of the orientation of undisturbed hatchlings as they 
emerged from the nest, for comparison with the experimental 
data. 
Observations on predation of hatchlings on the beach 
would also be made. 
It is sometimes possible to deduce the 
paths taken by hatchlings even when the actual emergence was 
not observed, from the tracks which they make in the sand, and 
it may be possible to estimate the relative numbers involved. 
Finally, a special effort should be made by the person doing 
the daily nest count to find evidence of the fate of dis-
oriented hatchlings in order to get some idea of the numbers 
which actually succumb, and the causes of death. 
Using these methods, one can extrapolate from the experi-
mental data the percentage of hatchlings which under "normal" 
conditions would be expected to @rient in a direction that would 
-28-
lead them away from the sea. 
Combined with opportunistic 
observations on the orientation of undisturbed hatchlings 
and by actual counts of dead ones, it should be possible to 
arrive at a first approximation of beach mortality due to 
artificial-light orientation at Sandy Point. 
C. 
Options for Management Action 
Since it is not feasible to physically screen off the 
entire beach from the offending lights, it would appear that 
the options for management action are three: 
(a) do nothing, 
and accept the additional hatchling mortality resulting from 
artificial-light disorientation, (b) establish a nightly 
patrol during the hatching season to collect disoriented 
hatchlings and hand-carry them to the water's edge. 
(It may 
be possible to enlist volunteer help to aid in such an effort) • 
(c) conduct experiments with erecting a number of artificial 
lights at the water's edge along the entire beach, in order 
to attract hatchlings in the seaward direction. 
Such lights 
would have to be specially designed so that they would not 
exert a trapping effect on the hatchlings and increase their 
exposure to predators, and also so that they would not prevent 
females from corning ashore to nest -- it is not easy to see 
how this could be accomplished. 
-29-
LITERATURE CITED 
(1) 
Mrosovsky, N. 
1967. 
How turtles find the sea. 
Sci. 
J. 3: 52-57. 
(2) 
1970~ 
The influence of the sun's position 
and elevated cues on the orientation of hatchling sea 
turtles. 
Anim. Behav. 18: 648-651. 
(3) 
1972. 
The waterfinding ability of sea 
turtles. 
Brain, Behav., Evo1. 5: 
202-225. 
(4) 
and A. Carr. 1967. 
Preference for light of 
short wavelengths in hatchling green sea turtles ... 
Behavior 28: 
2]7. 
(5) 
and S. J. Shett1eworth. 
1968. 
Wave-length 
preferences and brightness cues in the waterfinding 
behavior of sea turtles. 
Behavior ~ (4): 2]]-257. 
(6) 
Ehrenfeld, D.W. 
1968. 
The role of vision in the sea-
finding orientation of the green turtle (Chelonia mydas) . 
II. 
Orientation mechanism and range of spectral sensitivity. 
Anim. Behav. ]6: 
28]-287. 
(7) 
and A. Carr. 
1967. 
The role of vision in 
the sea-finding orientation of the green turtle (Chelonia 
mydas). 
Anim. Behav. ]5: 
25-36. 
(8) 
Mrosovsky, N. and S. J. Shettleworth. 
1975. 
On the 
orientation circle of the leatherback. 
Anim. Behav., 
23: 
588-593. 
(9) 
McFarlane, R.W. 1963. 
Disorientation of Loggerhead 
Hatchlings by Artificial Road Lighting. 
Copeia, 1963:]53. 
(10) 
Philibosian, R. 1976. 
Disorientation of hawksbi11 hatchlings, 
Eretmoche1ys i~bricata, by stadium lights. 
Copeia, no.4, 824. 
(11) 
Mrosovsky, N. 1977. 
Individual differences in the sea-finding 
mechanism of hatchling leatherback turtle. 
Brain, Behav. 
and Evo1. 14: 
261-273.