INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Just a short drive from Saint Edward’s School, the Archie Carr National Wildlife Sanctuary and its surrounding stretch of land, from northern Indian River County to Melbourne Beach, has been identified as the most productive beach in this hemisphere for loggerhead sea turtle nesting, and the most significant area for green turtle nesting in all of North America.
Now, thanks to Saint Edward’s student Nicholas Magal and his family, lower school students will soon have a very personal connection to the plight of sea turtles.
On July 29, the school’s own “Pirate Patty” loggerhead turtle will be part of a global Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC) Tour de Turtles Migration Marathon.
She will “compete” with turtles from around the world to see which travels the furthest distance in three months, with the ultimate goal to educate the public on environmental threats to sea turtles and other endangered species.
In addition to local leatherbacks which will be released from both Archie Carr and Disney’s Vero Beach Resort, the current slate of 13 turtles includes leatherbacks from Panama, green sea turtles from Costa Rica, Mexico and Guyana, and hawksbill turtles from Nevis.
Satellite transmitters attached to the turtles will allow them to be tracked as part of an on-line migration education program.
Each turtle is swimming to raise awareness about a particular manmade threat; Pirate Patty’s cause is the threat of beach re-nourishment which, according to STC, can “negatively affect nest-site selection, digging behavior, incubation temperature and the moisture content of nests.”
Visitors to www.TourDeTurtles, can support the effort through Adopt-A-Turtle donations, and can also follow the migration.
“We thought it would be a good idea to do it through the school and get other students involved so people would become more educated on how to stop sea turtles from being harmed,” said Nicholas, whose family is underwriting the cost of Pirate Patty’s satellite transmitter.
“They will be happy to track their own turtle,” said Barbara Mohler, head of the lower school. “I ‘m very excited about that.”
Nicholas, who will be entering 10th grade, volunteers at the Barrier Island Center located at the refuge.
His father, Dr. Charles Magal, serves on the board of the Sea Turtle Conservancy, which manages the center with the Brevard County Environmentally Endangered Lands Program.
“Sometimes these little turtles touch people in big ways,” said Magal. “It’s taken 40 years to change the thinking in Tortuguero [Costa Rica] and it started with the children. That’s why we thought of doing this; to get the children involved.”
Pirate Patty, named through a school contest, will be released back into the ocean at the Barrier Island Center in Melbourne Beach on July 29, and will be tracked for as long as her transmitter emits signals – generally anywhere from three months to one year.
“It is exciting to have the school on board, as Tour de Turtles is primarily an educational program to raise awareness about conservation and increase stewardship,” said Rocio Johnson, the conservancy public relations coordinator. “It is an amazing opportunity to get up close and personal with an adult sea turtle in the daytime and watch the satellite-transmitter attachment process before the turtles are released.”
“We, as a school, are very grateful for Nicholas’ family for thinking about us,” said Joanie Wachter, computer science coordinator for the lower school. “When school begins at the end of August, that’s when the real activities in school will begin. Nicholas has offered to come in and visit with the lower school as our student representative. He will know quite a bit about sea turtles before this all is completed.”
“I’m looking forward to it; it should be fun. When my father first told me about sea turtles I was very interested. They’ve been around since the dinosaurs,” said Nicholas.
Noting an interest in multiple areas of marine biology he added, “I’m interested in sharks as well.”
“Every child in the lower school will participate in some way,” said Wachter, envisioning the potential for learning opportunities.
“We have a mural that’s painted every year and we’re thinking of incorporating that into it. Between art and creative writing, and geography, math and science, everybody will have some opportunity to participate and benefit from the generosity of Nicholas’ family. We have very creative teachers and once we say this is our theme, they will have their own ideas. Right now we’re open to a lot of choices.”
To stimulate excitement in the project, students in the lower school were invited in May to attend a World Turtle Day presentation given by Johnson.
“Oh you guys already know all about sea turtles,” cried Johnson as hands quickly shot up from the sea turtle savvy students in answer to her questions.
Like little sponges, students absorbed that Pirate Patty would be at least 50 years old, the age at which they begin laying eggs, that unlike land turtles they can’t put their heads inside their shell, that the leatherback turtles, the largest variety, can grow to be as large as a Volkswagen, and that only one in 1,000 hatchlings lives to adulthood.
“A lot of adults are still learning about turtles,” said Johnson. “I hope that when you go home, you’ll share what you’ve learned so that we can help keep them from becoming extinct. Remember, you share the beach and earth with other creatures.”
Tour de Turtles kicks off at the Barrier Island Center with a social and silent auction at 6 p.m. Saturday, July 28.
It’s a great chance to meet with scientists involved in the sea turtle conservation effort, while enjoying live music and refreshments.
Advance tickets are $20; $35 at the door.
The live sea turtle release is free and open to the public, and takes place at the Barrier Island Center starting at 8 a.m. on Sunday, July 29.
People can watch as Sea Turtle Conservancy & University of Central Florida researches attach a satellite transmitter to Pirate Patty before her release from the start gate at 8:30 a.m.
There will also be craft activities for children at the Center until 10:30 a.m.
Parking is limited; carpooling recommended.
