Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge south of Frederiksted will reopen to the public this Saturday.
The refuge is open to the public only on Saturdays and Sundays, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Since 1995, Sandy Point has closed for about four months every summer to protect endangered sea turtle hatchlings.
The nesting season for the leatherback, green, loggerhead and hawksbill sea turtles that nest in the Virgin Islands runs from March to December every year, with different peak periods for different species. There are several key nesting areas on St. Croix, including Buck Island Reef National Monument, Sandy Point, and St. Croix’s east end beaches.
All sea turtles worldwide are listed as threatened or endangered, with populations in steep decline, and are protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Sandy Point and other St. Croix beaches such as Jack and Isaac bay, along with Buck Island, are home to nesting hawksbill, leatherback and green sea turtles. Leatherbacks and hawksbills are both critically endangered.
But St. Croix enjoyed a record season this year, according to Claudia Lombard, a wildlife biologist working at Sandy Point with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service working.
"Our population is actually increasing," Lombard said in July."This year, we broke the record, with the largest number in our 28 years here. That is 202 nesting females which means approximately 1,000 nests."
As of this week, more than 1,100 separate sites of nesting activities have been documented at Sandy Point, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife reported in a statement announcing the reopening of the refuge to the public. Officials estimate at least 37,000 leatherback turtle hatchlings, given typical turtle clutch sizes.
But, though the local news is good, it is only a drop in the bucket.
"If you look globally, and these are global species found in every sea and nearly every continent, their populations are decreasing," Lombard said in July. "Ours is increasing, but 28 years ago you could count the nests on your fingers and toes. Two hundred is tiny. And many other nesting locations went from tens of thousands of laying females down to hundreds."
Leatherbacks are distinct from all other sea turtles in that instead of a hard, bony shell, they have a leathery skin over bony plates. In fact, all other living sea turtle species are in one family of the genus, while leatherbacks are the last species of another family. The leathery skin makes hatchlings especially vulnerable to foot traffic, which is why the refuge is closed during the later, busier half of their nesting season. While the refuge is now open on weekends during the day, there are still nests with eggs yet to hatch. So the refuge rules prohibit driving beach umbrella poles or stakes into the sand. Open fires are also prohibited.
Buck Island, Sandy Point and Jack and Isaac bays are patrolled nightly both to protect nesting turtles and to continue long-term research.
The Park Service and Fish and Wildlife remind anyone encountering turtles nesting or hatchlings on any St. Croix beach that all sea turtles are protected, not just the ones in parks. Beachgoers need to follow posted beach regulations, especially regarding fires, dogs and tent stakes, to keep from damaging nests. Boat operators should drive cautiously. Sea turtles rise slowly to breathe and it takes them several seconds to dive to safety when they hear an approaching motor boat, according to the National Park Service. Bright lights will disorient nesting adults as well as hatchlings so bright lights should be avoided. Watch from a distance and don’t use flashlights or a camera flash, the wildlife officials say.
Issues at Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge can be directed to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at 340-773-4554, 340-773 4554, 690-9541 or 690-8325. Other locations can call the V.I. Department of Fish and Wildlife at 340-643-0800.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service offers a reward as much as $2,500 for information that leads to conviction for harassing, capturing, injuring or killing a member of any endangered species, including sea turtles.
