Update on Bonaire's sea turtles

On Aug. 7, Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire (STCB) gave an update on Bonaire's sea turtles. It shows that the sea turtles have already made 68 nests this season, which is now about halfway through. Most of the nests, 39 in total, have been found on Klein Bonaire. The rest of the nests can be found on Bonaire itself. 

Meanwhile, 16 nests have already hatched, including the nest sponsored by RE/MAX Paradise Homes Bonaire. From our nest came as many as 73 young hawksbill sea turtles. Our nest of young sea turtles was located on Klein Bonaire and hatched in late July. 

How can you help sea turtles?

You can help Bonaire's sea turtles by being considerate of them. It goes without saying that you should not disturb sea turtles that are nesting. That means you should stay at a distance and not use a flashlight. If you do want to use light near the nest the sea turtle is building, use red light. Also, when a nest with young sea turtles hatches, do not disturb the young. 

Furthermore, you can refill holes on the beach dug by children with sand. This is because large holes can block the way for a sea turtle. When a nest hatches, a hole can also cause problems for the young sea turtles. In addition, it is important to keep the beach clean. Bring your own trash back home and clean up litter. Of course, you don't want sea turtles to get stuck in plastic, or injured by broken glass. 

You can also help the STCB staff by going with them to Klein Bonaire to look for new nests and hatchlings. Want to know how that works? Then read our blog: A unique experience: go in search of sea turtle nests on Klein Bonaire.