Archive for the ‘Sea Turtles’ Category

Oct
19

Sea Turtle Rescue Yesterday at the Houston Zoo!

Posted by in Conservation,Sea Turtles,Texas,What You Can Do

Yesterday afternoon, Dr. Joe Flanagan, the Houston Zoo’s Director of Veterinary Medicine, called over to let us know that we had a wild sea turtle in the zoo hospital with a fishing hook lodged in it’s throat.

The juvenille Green sea turtle had been accidentally hooked by fisherman while they were fishing out in Texas City. The fisherman were very concerned and called the local game warden to come help the turtle. All injured or sick sea turtles are then handed over to the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) sea turtle biologists.  Much of the time, these sea turtles will come to the Houston Zoo to undergo diagnoses, surgery and/or treatment.

Dr Joe examines hook in sea turtle's throat

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
After identifying the location of the hook and prepping the sea turtle, surgery begins to carefully remove the hook..
 

Removal of hook

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
After a long, delicate process, the hook is finally removed.
 

Hook that was removed from the sea turtle

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  Sea turtle biologist and NOAA employee Lyndsey Howell will now take the sea turtle back to the Sea Turtle Barn in Galveston to let the little guy recuperate. He will then be released back into the wild. 
 

Lyndsey and Green Sea Turtle

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
If you are on the Upper Texas Coast and hook a sea turtle fishing or see a sea turtle that is in distress please call 1866TURTLE5!  To learn more about sea turtle conservation at the Houston Zoo visit our sea turtle page.
 
 
 

Jul
12

Houston Zoo vet staff are saving Sea turtles!

Posted by in Conservation,Endangered Species,Sea Turtles,Texas

Kemp's Ridley

The incredible work Dr. Joe Flanagan and our clinic staff do for endangered stranded and injured Sea turtles from the upper Texas coast often goes un-noticed due to the fact that it goes on behind the scenes here at the Houston zoo.  But make no mistake, the clinic staff are Sea turtle rescue heroes!  Often Dr. Joe gets a call in the morning and injured Sea turtles arrive an hour or so later.  The clinic staff always make time for these paitents that are often in need of immediate attention. 

Last Friday morning Dr. Joe had several turtles come in for radio-graphs and evaluation.  One Loggerhead Sea turtle had a boat propeller injury, another was most likely a shark attack victim, and there were a few pre-release check-ups. 

Dr. Joe Fanagan examining an injured Sea turtle

In 2010, Dr. Joe Flanagan and his staff treated over 44 sea turtles.   There were 44 radio-graphs done, which included  16 Kemp’s ridleys, 7 Greens, 20 Loggerheads, and 1 Hawksbill.  There was blood work done on 40 animals including 14 Kemp’s ridleys, 8 Greens, 14 Loggerheads, and 2 Hawksbills.

So far in 2011, they have treated over 30 animals.  There were 30 radiographs done on 9 Kemps ridleys, 9 Greens, 6 loggerheads, and 6 Hawksbills.  Blood work was done on 27 animals including 10 Kemp’s ridleys, 8 Greens, 4 Loggerheads, and 5 Hawksbills.

Dr. Joe also makes site visits to NOAA Fisheries Service Galveston Laboratory, which is the federal sea turtle research facility, commonly referred to as “The Turtle Barn.” This laboratory is known worldwide for the captive-rearing of endangered sea turtles.  He visits frequently to monitor the progress of injured Sea turtles, perform ultrasounds, and other diagnostic procedures. 

The Sea turtle expertise here at the Houston zoo is greatly appreciated by the Sea turtle rescue community.  Enjoy this short clip to see some of the rehabilitation efforts in action!

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Jun
03

Saving Sea turtles at the Houston Zoo

Posted by in Conservation,Endangered Species,Sea Turtles,Texas

Kemps ridley

One of the things I was most excited about when I moved to Houston was the fact that sea turtles nest on the Texas coast.  My first sea turtle encounter was last year when I was called over the vet clinic here at the Zoo to watch our head vet, Dr. Joe Flanagan do examinations on several injured sea turtles, and from that day on I was hooked.  These creatures are so different from the sea life I knew on the West coast of Canada. 

Baby Loggerhead

I was even more excited to find out about all of the work we doing here at the Zoo to help Sea turtles along.  Dr. Joe Flanagan is very well known for his work with sea turtles, so many injured individuals are brought in each month to be examined.  Some that are not fit to be released right away are cared for by our talented aquarium staff.  The injured Sea turtles get to rehabilitate in a big tank in the Zoo’s aquarium building.  This way Dr. Flanagan can keep a close eye on them while the aquarium staff prepare them for release.

Dr. Joe Fanagan examining an injured Sea turtle

Recently, 9 turtles were brought in for Dr. Flanagan to examine.  There were 3 Hawksbills, 3 Loggerheads and 3 Kemp Ridley’s.  He and the clinic staff took blood and x-rays to diagnose what was going on with these individuals.   One of the little loggerheads had its right front flipper missing and the other flippers had many lacerations as well, most likely from being caught in fishing nets.  Despite these injuries he was still able to move around well in the water and Joe predicted that after some recovery time he would be fine in the wild.   

It is a tough life to be a sea turtle in the gulf these days, between drowning in shrimp nets, getting caught in hook and line, vehicle traffic, development of beaches, ocean and light pollution they definitely have their work cut out for them. But, it is refreshing to hear that Sea Turtle populations appear to be slowly recovering.

The next time you come to the Zoo remember to stop into the aquarium to see if we have a Sea turtle we are preparing for the wild.  For more information about Sea turtle conservation go here.  And please remember, as we come into beach season, clean up all of your garbage after you festivities.  Keeping the beaches clean means a safer environment for Sea turtles.

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Mar
17

St. Patricks Day

Posted by in Animal Origins & Fun Facts,Sea Turtles

St. Patricks Day March 17th. Typically a day of reverie and celebration for Irish and non-Irish alike as we break out green garments not worn for at least a year and celebrate St. Patrick himself.

Legend has it that St. Patrick drove all the snakes from Ireland in the 5th century. Apparently, he stood on a hill and with his staff (not his employees, but a fancy stick) herded all the snakes into the sea, banishing them forever, or eternity – whichever is longer. This is why there are no snakes found on Ireland.

Oh legend, why do you deceive me so! Irelands snakes were not actually driven away by St. Patrick. Snakes had not lived on the island since the last Glacial Period approximately 110,000 to 10,000 years ago. That’s at least 10,400 years before St. Patrick.

So why the legend? It is believed that “snakes” symbolized paganism and St. Patrick did banish paganism from Ireland. What reptiles can you find in Ireland? There are only a few land reptiles on Ireland, the Viviparous lizard is one, and something called the slow-worm which looks like a snake but is not and looks like a worm – but is not. 5 species of Sea Turtles inhabit the water surrounding Ireland but do not come ashore.

Next time you head out in celebration of St. Patrick, you can thank for him not sending the viviparous lizard and slow-worm into the sea.

Slow-worm, Anguis fragilis

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Aug
16

Texas

Posted by in amphibians,Animal Origins & Fun Facts,Endangered Species,Field Research,Sea Turtles,Texas,What You Can Do

Everything is bigger in Texas, and the biodiversity is no exception. Ten recognized eco-regions are home to an amazing abundance of wildlife and plants in the Lone Star State. Over 80 species of mammals, 600 plus species of birds, more than 250 species of reptiles and amphibians and countless thousands of species of invertebrates can be found in Texas. Of the nearly 6,000 species of plants found here, at least 325 are endemic and found nowhere else in the world.

North American River Otter

Our Houston toad head-start program has seen over 30,000 tadpoles and toads released to their natal ponds this year alone. One of the most critically endangered birds in the United States, the Attwater’s Prairie Chicken, is hatched and reared for release to augment their ever dwindling wild population. Our Education staff conducts field and science based programs for local school children to foster appreciation for this endemic grouse. Outreach programs also focus on the restoration of the black bear to the dense Pineywoods of East Texas, our vanishing coastal prairies, endangered sea turtles and local amphibian declines. In a state that is 97 percent private, we continue to expand collaboration with landowners – both working with them directly and assisting with workshops to teach them to manage their property for endangered wildlife. Other local research and field activities include turtle road mortality and mitigation, sea turtle nest patrols, and assistance with ongoing graduate projects with local universities.

Attwater's Prairie Chicken chickThe Houston Zoo’s conservation mission is to make the Houston Zoo a leader in conservation as it relates to the survival of threatened wildlife, the wise use of natural resources, and the appreciation of our natural world by our zoo visitors. We take wildlife conservation in Texas seriously and we would like for all Texans to appreciate the State’s unique habitats and heritage.

Want to hear more about what makes Texas so special? Then join us on November 17th for a very special speaker event featuring Carter Smith, Executive Director, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. 6:30pm-8:00pm in our Brown Education Center. Link here for tickets.

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Aug
10

600 ft in the air for sea turtle conservation, how do I get myself in these situations?

Posted by in community-based conservation,Endangered Species,Field Research,Sea Turtles,Texas,What You Can Do

Sweet plane. It even has a parachute!

Picture this gem of a scene. It’s Saturday morning, July 17th, 2010. Angleton, Texas. Brazoria County Airport.

I am in the smallest airplane on earth. I am about to take OFF in the smallest airplane on earth.

 Apparently, I will fly 600 – 1000 feet above the Gulf of Mexico.

 I am quite certain I will not be coming back. 

What will become of poor Mr. Jiggs? (Mr. Jiggs is my 14 year old pug) Did I leave my flat iron on? Why didn’t I use the restroom before I got in the plane?

 I am speaking to myself in first person. I don’t think I was doing this aloud, but maybe I was. Who knows at this point?

 Despite my terror and impending feeling of doom, I do feel kind of cool because I have on those pilot headphone thingies and am kind of having a Top Gun moment. I want to say something like ” Alpha Bravo Charlie 2 5 6 8 3, what’s your AGL, OVER”. I don’t. In hindsight, I should have though.

 I am wondering the following:

 Why is the pilot explaining to me the whole…”If I have a heart attack this is the lever you need to pull” type thing and why are we having the “this is the little GPS tracking device, and you will need to press this button twice before we ditch so they can find us” type discussion? Why am I wearing a life vest flotation device?

 Why did I lie about my weight and say I was five pounds lighter that I am? Really? I would rather die and take two innocent people down with me than tell someone my actual weight?

Me, the co-pilot!

I nervously attempted to repeat what he had just said to me because I realized that while he was giving me instructions I was thinking about the Top Gun volleyball scence and was so shocked that he was talking to me about this type of situation that I wasn’t really paying attention. Oh god. I am a goner for sure.

You may be trying to figure out why I am putting myself through this type of panic causing situation? Well, to be honest, this was an honor and a once in a lifetime type experience!

Jeanine, student with TAMU Galveston and Kemps ridley patrol coordinator on the upper Texas coast!

 My good friend Carole Allen, a conservation hero, sea turtle advocate and Gulf Coast Director with the Sea Turtle Restoration Project, asked myself, along with a few other lucky individuals, if we would be interested in taking a LightHawk flight in the few days following the opening of shrimp season off of the Texas coast. Shrimp boats must be equipped with Turtle Excluder Devices (aka TEDs) when trawling for shrimp so any captured endangered sea turtles can escape and not drown. Find out more about sea turtles and Houston Zoo conservation efforts here.

 We were to look for the following things during our flight: 

  • Law enforcement presence
  • Evidence of illegal shrimp boats
  • Counting number of shrimp boats
  • To look for evidence of oil off of the Texas coast

 The unique and amazing non-profit organization that was able to make this aerial survey a reality was a nonprofit group called LightHawk. LightHawk’s mission is to champion environmental protection through the unique perspective of flight. Their goal is to mobilize enough volunteer pilots, aircraft and resources to help tip the balance toward sustainability for every major environmental issue within their targeted areas of focus.

Randy our super talented pilot that got me back on the ground alive. Thanks Randy!

Take off!

Our pilot, Randy Henry, a retired employee of Kinkos, spends his free time, and donates his beautiful plane, to help not only with conservation projects like ours, but with human aid efforts as well. Really, a genuine and fantastic person all around. Bravo to you Randy Henry! It just shows you that no matter what you do for a living or what your hobby is, conservation groups need your expertise and time. Whether you or an accountant, a photographer, a writer or a mechanic, we need you! You can make a difference to an amazing program near you!

Despite all my paranoia and protests, this was the most amazing flight I have ever been on. You really feel like a feather floating in the air. The take off and landing was so smooth, you didn’t even realize it had happened! Much smoother than your commercial airline flight.

We counted over 30 shrimp boats on our flight. No law enforcement. No sign of oil.

Shrimp boat. Yes, we were that close. 600ft.

Jul
14

Come and visit the new and improved conservation kiosk- A message from the conservation intern.

Posted by in community-based conservation,Endangered Species,Field Research,Going Green,orangutan,Sea Turtles,Texas,What You Can Do

Hello to all!
 As this is my first blog I think I should give you a little bit of information as to what I do as the conservation intern here at the zoo.
  I am working with the conservation department to fuse the message of conservation with the Zoo and to better impart information to the guests about the Zoo’s projects. I am currently working to improve the conservation Kiosk which is located just by the main door for the Kip Aquarium.
In this blog I will keep you posted on not only the fabulous new updates to the Conservation Kiosk, but also the tons of other Conservation projects at the zoo, and the ways you can help out.
Conservation Kiosk Update!
The Conservation Kiosk is getting a new look with the addition of some new eye catching posters.  These posters offer a glimps at some of the Houston zoo’s local and international conservation projects, as well as some tips of what you can do to help endangered species all over the globe.
The Conservation Kiosk is located right next to the entrance of the Kip Aquarium, so come and check it out the next time you visit the zoo.

Till next time,
Elliott the intern

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Jun
10

Kemp’s ridley sea turtle on beach yesterday!

Posted by in Endangered Species,Featured,Field Research,Sea Turtles,Texas,Uncategorized

While on my sea turtle patrol yesterday I intercepted this female Kemp’s ridley sea turtle awkwardly flapping and slowly inching her way along the beach to the dunes to nest and deposit her eggs. What an experience to share space and be alone with this magnificent sea dwelling animal on a sunny June afternoon! At a time of so much frustration and worry for the Gulf and all of it’s inhabitants-it is so hopeful & special to see one of the most endangered animals in the world both surviving, and thankfully, recovering from near extinction only a few decades ago.

 

She must have been a picky mom because she dug a few holes and went back into the water without depositing her eggs. She was looking for just the right spot. A shot of her making her way back to the sea…

 

There’s nothing like the cool and refreshing splatter of the ocean water after baking in the hot sun! 

Find out more about sea turtle conservation at the Houston Zoo and in Texas!

Would you please share with me and other Houston Zoo blog readers one of your most memorable wildlife experiences?

Jun
07

Marine Debris: A Plastic Nurdle Hurdle

Posted by in Sea Turtles,What You Can Do

NURDLES!

How could something called a nurdle be harmful to wildlife and the environment?

A nurdle  is a teeny tiny plastic pellet typically found outside of the typical plastics manufacturing stream. Plastic pellets are a product which is used to produce a final products, while a nurdle is scrap and can also be what remains once plastic is broken down in the environment.

So there you have it, nurdles are scrap and nurdles are also a major contributor to marine debris. Nurdles that escape (they do not plot this escape, they are the end result of a degraded product) from the plastic production process into waterways or oceans have become a significant source of ocean and beach pollution. Marine life is severely threatened by these small pieces of plastic: the creatures that make up the base of the marine food chain, such as krill (shrimp-like marine invertebrate fed on by many marine species from birds to whales), are prematurely dying by choking on nurdles.

You think Texas is big? Well, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is up to twice the size of Texas and is made up of plastic and other garbage debris. Why plastic? Plastic doesn’t biodegrade – it just “photodegrades,” which means it fragments into smaller and smaller pieces called “nurdles” that soak up toxins and wind up being ingested by fish, birds, turtles, marine mammals, etc.

Follow the food chain: Jellyfish eat nurdles. Fish eat jellyfish which ate the nurdle. You eat the fish which ate the jellyfish which ate the nurdle. Effectively, you have just been nurdled. How’s that feel? Clearly not nurdlicious.

Oceanic garbage patch

Too bad nurdles are so harmful as it can actually be quite enjoyable to randomly shout out. Disclaimer: do not try this at home as it may frighten the dog, cat, kids and neighbors. Keep waste in its place and out of the oceans – the nurdles do not mean to be bad, they just are.

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May
25

Sea turtles nest on upper Texas coast!

Posted by in Endangered Species,Field Research,Sea Turtles,Texas,Uncategorized

Fabulous news people.

6 Kemps ridley sea turtle nests have been detected on the upper Texas coast and a total of 82 nests statewide!

The first four nests from our neck of the woods came last Wednesday, 3 female ridleys were subsequently satellite tagged and released back in the Gulf.

Do you want to hear even more fabulous news?

After many patrols over the last several years and sand in really weird places, all of the patience & grittiness finally paid off…

ONE OF THE SEA TURTLES WAS FOUND ON MY PATROL!!!!!! Sorry, could not hold it in any longer. :)

Below is a picture of the beautiful girl found on Surfside beach! She did attempt to evade me of course. About 1 hour after I passed this area on my ATV, she crawled out of the water and two beachgoers watched her crawl up to the dunes, dig a hole, and begin to nest. They did the right thing and called 1-866-TURTLE5 and I was contacted by a NOAA biologist to respond- I flew like I have never flew before and came upon a most delightful sight, one of the most magnificent and endagered sea turtles on the planet. Everyone on the beach that day was awe-struck and thankful to be in the right place, at the right time and to be able to sneak a peek at such an amazing wild animal.

Truly a once and a lifetime experience!

We covered her with wet towels to keep her nice and cool until students from Texas A&M Galveston came to excavate her eggs and tag her.

102 eggs were excavated from her nest. Good mamma!

Release of the three Kemps ridley sea turtles. I bet it felt great to be back in the water.

You can track the movement of tagged ridley turtles by visiting the following link. The ladies tagged last week should be up soon.

REMEMBER, IF YOU ARE ON THE BEACH AND SEE A LIVE OR DEAD SEA TURTLE, HATCHLINGS, OR A NEST CALL 1-866-TURTLE5

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