OKINAWA: Stocking the Ocean with Baby Sea Turtles

Over 120 sea turtles have been set free to the ocean. This annual event and a very special program of restocking the ocean with baby green sea turtles was held at the Okinawa Expo Memorial Park, favourably known to many as Chura Umi Aquarium.

In my hands is a baby green turtle (July 26, 2009).

Today the greatest threat to wildife is human carelessness, and this alone threatens the lives of thousands of wildlife species around the world. Just like Kenya Wildlife Service, Chura Umi Expo Memorial Park is taking vital management strategies to conserve sea turtles and other marine species.

Mr. Hideaki TAKA, a conservationist at Chura Umi Expo Memorial Park says "It takes about 30 years for the turtles to come and lay eggs on the beach. But today, alot of construction and destructions on the same beach has taken over the nesting grounds of these severely threated turtles."

Mr. Taka talking about the life of green turtles ->

"The nesting habitats have tremendously decreased with little nesting success. This also has resulted in abnormal survivorship of eggs and hatchlings. So we protect the remaining hatching grounds and take care of the eggs and hatchlings too until they are safe and big enough to be released in the ocean," says Mr. Hideaki Taka.

There are a number of substantial reasons why the Green Turtle(s) is under threat today:

1. Threats in the Marine Environment
Turtles entangled in these types of fishing gear may drown and often suffer serious injuries to their flippers from constriction by the lines or ropes. In addition to entangling turtles, longline gear can also hook turtles in the jaw, esophagus, or flippers.

2. Marine debris is a continuing problem for marine turtles

Marine turtles living in the open ocean like Okinawa, they end up becoming entangled in marine debris like tar balls, plastic bags, plastic pellets and cups, balloons, and construction materials, as they feed along oceanographic fronts, where debris and their natural food items converge.

3. Threats in the Terrestrial Environment

Loss of nesting habitat resulting from erosion control through beach nourishment and armoring, beachfront development, artificial lighting, and invasive vegetation is a serious threat affecting nesting females and hatchlings.

Hundreds of Okinawa residents and turtle lovers join in the exercise of restocking the ocean.

• Beach armoring like seawalls and soil retaining walls can impede a turtle's access to upper regions of the beach hence limiting the amount of available nesting habitat.
• Artificial lighting on or near the beach adversely affects both nesting and hatchling sea turtles. It also deters adult female turtles from emerging from the ocean to nest and can derail emerging hatchlings away from the ocean. Hatchlings have a tendency to orient toward the brightest direction, which on natural, undeveloped beaches is commonly toward the broad open horizon of the sea. However, on developed beaches, the brightest direction is often away from the ocean and toward lighted structures.
• Invasive vegetation have invaded many coastal areas and often outcompetes native species. Non-native vegetation is usually less-stabilizing and can lead to increased erosion and degradation of suitable nesting habitat. Exotic vegetation may also form impenetrable root mats that can prevent proper nest cavity excavation, invade and desiccate eggs, or trap hatchlings.

The Okinawa Expos Memorial National Park is located in Motobu Township, where Japan's first International Ocean Exposition was held in 1975 to help the economic development of Okinawa. After the exposition the site became a park operated by the national government. It is a tour stop and a leisure spot for visitors as well as prefectural residents. The turtles have weak shells though, relying on only a relatively strong skin for protection.

ALARMING: The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) says too many turtles are being hunted by humans, and if the trend continues, they will face extinction.