On the morning of Thursday, July 11, the Sea Turtle Assistance and Rescue (STAR) team received a report about a hawksbill sea turtle that had been hit and killed by a vehicle on the west end of St. Croix, north of Rainbow Beach, the agency announced.
Upon arrival, STAR responders found the turtle deceased. After evaluation, it was determined that the hawksbill was a female searching for a nesting site. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Biologist Claudia Lombard examined the turtle and retrieved undamaged eggs, which she then relocated and buried on a safe section of the beach. This incident is likely the first recorded adult sea turtle death related to a vehicle collision in the U.S. Virgin Islands in many years, if not ever, according to the press release.
Hawksbill turtles are critically endangered due to human threats, so protecting their nesting populations in the USVI is crucial. St. Croix is home to three species of nesting sea turtles, but hawksbills are unique as they nest year-round on the island (937 nests in 2023), the press release stated.
Hawksbills prefer small sandy beaches with vegetation close to the shoreline, as on many west end beaches. They will nest under vegetation like sea grapes and also on the landward side of the vegetation, sometimes in dirt or sand parking areas near the roadway. To protect nesting turtles that may have become disoriented and wandered onto the road, STAR staff urges the public to drive safely at night, avoid speeding, and stay alert to watch for disoriented nesting sea turtles and hatchlings, the release stated.
To report a sea turtle to STAR, please call 340-690-0474 and be ready to provide detailed information about the location of the stranding, the condition of the turtle (alive or dead), and a description of its size and any visible injuries.
STAR is a non-profit organization comprised of government agencies, NGOs, local non-profits, veterinarians, and dedicated volunteers. Operating across all three U.S. Virgin Islands, STAR responds to any sea turtles or hatchlings that are injured, trapped, entangled, disoriented, or dead.
