Sea turtle advocacy group calls for volunteers

Sea turtles have lived on Earth unchanged since the time of the dinosaurs. They are among the most mysterious of animals, wandering the depths of the ocean for years at a time, only to return to the beach where they were born in order to lay their eggs. Yet for all their longevity and secretiveness, their numbers in the wild have dwindled and they are now fighting against extinction.

The CNMI sea turtle population is itself facing enormous pressure, and the number of nesting females returning to lay eggs on our shores has declined to a handful in recent years. Of the CNMI’s two indigenous species, the Hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricate) has not been identified as nesting on Saipan’s shores for a number of years, and the Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) has been reduced to a handful of nests annually from a pre-decline annual average of dozens of nests or more.

The precipitous decline of the CNMI’s sea turtles has led a coalition of concerned citizens to band together and form a non-profit called the Turtle Advocacy and Guardian Society, or TAGS, with the express purpose of combating the illegal poaching and other causes of turtle population decline in the CNMI.

This past summer, TAGS initiated a beach monitoring program to safeguard the sea turtles coming ashore to lay eggs on Saipan’s sands. Centered on Wing Beach, the monitoring program recruited residents to walk the beach every morning to identify nests and monitor the site for signs of poaching, pollution, and any other form of encroachment that could endanger the nesting females or their eggs.

The program results met TAGS’ goals of protecting wildlife and enhancing coordination between local residents, non-profits, and government officials. TAGS identified and monitored several nests, and they believe their increased surveillance of the nesting sites, in coordination with law enforcement and federal researchers, played a role in reducing the depredation of turtles last season. Encouraged by last year’s results, TAGS plans to expand the scope of its 2012 beach monitoring efforts by recruiting volunteers to monitor several new beaches this upcoming nesting season.

TAGS has also successfully recruited many dedicated volunteers for the group, and they plan on expanding the number of their activities in the upcoming year. Their efforts will include raising funds through hosting a turtle art exhibit, a fundraiser party, and various community outreach and turtle patrol trainings.

“I have always been fascinated with sea turtles since I saw my first one in its natural habitat in Jamaica in 1996. When I learned to scuba dive here on Saipan a few years ago, I saw two on my first open water dive and my enthusiasm grew,” Arielle Buyum, one of TAGS enthusiastic volunteers, stated.

Sea turtles are a vital species for the marine ecosystem and play an important ecological role. Unless more efforts are made to combat the rising tide of poaching, accidental capture by fishermen, and habitat destruction, it is possible that they may not live on into the next century.

“I want future generations to be able to have the experiences with turtles as I had. I know I can’t do much alone to make an impact for the turtles, but together with other caring people I believe we can really make a difference. That is why I joined TAGS. If I can help just one baby turtle make it to the sea and grow into an adult then it is worth my time and effort,” said Buyum.

In the upcoming season, TAGS would like to invite anyone who is willing to help in ensuring the safety for the sea turtles to join the organization. TAGS is planning to host several outreach programs, art exhibits, and an expanded beach monitoring program to build awareness of the challenges facing the CNMI’s sea turtles and help stabilize their population. Hopefully there will be “zero poaching, as well as healthy, productive nests,” said Eileen Escudero-Wisor, chairwoman of TAGS.

Send an email to SaipanTAGS@gmail.com for information on volunteering for the upcoming season. [I](TAGS)[/I]