St. Maarten Private Eye

Jadira Veen of SXM PRIDE sent me this information and asked me to post it.

This is a sign from a street in Ft. Lauderdale and the lights on that stretch of beach are off from March to October. They are doing this to help protect the sea turtles and their babies when they nest.. Sint Maarten PRIDE foundation will be trying to get some signs made just like the one pictured above. PRIDE has already received a donation from a very concerned American beach resident to help with the turtle signs.

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We are now in the Sea Turtle nesting season here and SXM PRIDE urges all home owners who live on the beach to turn off their porch lights, or reduce/dim them. A great alternative is to change from white bulbs to yellow bulbs.
This is only necessary on the outside of their home, as the Sea Turtle hatchlings get distracted when they emerge from their nest and have to follow the moonlight.
Many times Sea Turtles will crawl up on beach homes with bright lights and startle people who mistake them for cockroaches as they are so small.
Beaches on St.Maarten that still have active Sea Turtle nesting are Simpson Bay beach, Gibbes Bay and Guana Bay.
If I am not mistaken, haven't nests been found on Great Bay Beach too in town?

People and especially residents along our beaches have to take great care to protect these endangered species as much as possible.
Do not eat Sea Turtle meat and eggs, do not dig up their nests, do not harm nesting Sea Turtles and hatchlings, do not catch Sea Turtles while boating, snorkeling or diving.

We do hope more beach residents will follow suit and take greater interest in helping these magnificent animals.
We all have to do our part!

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