As leatherback sea turtles begin laying eggs during their nesting season, Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge on St. Croix is once again arranging youth and community group visits to watch eggs being laid and hatching. The refuge is closed to the public until Sept. 1.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been running a leatherback sea turtle recovery project, monitoring and managing activities at Sandy Point since 1977. The project has since developed into one of the most comprehensive, long-term sea turtle research and recovery efforts in the world, according to Fish and Wildlife.
This work contributed to the creation of Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge as the first refuge in the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Refuge System established for the purpose of protecting endangered sea turtles. And the work has borne fruit, in that during the last three decades there has been a substantial increase in the number of nesting leatherbacks, from less than 20 individuals in the early years to more than 100 in recent years.
Since 1997, thousands of schoolchildren and adults from St. Croix have participated in an escorted night visit to the refuge beach to see female leatherback sea turtles digging their nests and laying eggs. Later in the season, program participants watch hatchlings emerge from their nests and crawl to the sea.
The program has provided countless St. Croix community members the opportunity to learn and experience more about protecting our leatherback turtles.
The Turtle Watch Education Program runs from Tuesdays through Saturdays starting in April and running through the end of July. Reservations are only accepted for groups with at least 15 and no more than 30 people. No individual reservations are allowed. Weekend nights are limited to youth groups. Great care is taken by the program coordinator and the research team to minimize any disturbance to the turtles.
For more information or to make a reservation, please contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at (340) 690-9452 or sandypoint.turtlewatch@gmail.com.
Independent organizations like the St. Croix Environmental Association and CRABBS Diving Club are among the groups that regularly arrange turtle watching visits at Sandy Point.
