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Poachers destroy 4 sea turtle nests

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By JACKIE BARRON

jbarron@tampatrib.com

Published: June 13, 2009

Poachers have destroyed four sea turtle nests in southern Sarasota County, an area that - at least until last weekend - had seldom seen such cases.

The nests stretch along the beaches from Venice to Casey Key. Volunteers with Mote Marine Laboratory discovered the dug-out cavities of each nest during their regular morning nest patrols the past six days.
County officials think the thieves took the eggs for food or to sell on the black market. All four nests were the work of loggerhead turtles.

Ryan Welsh of Mote's Sea Turtle Program said "poaching has been almost completely unknown in Sarasota County" until now.

Sarasota County says its beaches host the highest density of nesting loggerheads on the Gulf of Mexico. Female turtles lay about 100 eggs in a nest, but only 1 in 1,000 reaches adulthood, returns to the birth beach and continues the cycle.

Sarasota County wants beachgoers to keep their eyes open for anyone interfering with a sea turtle nest who is not wearing the official Mote Sea Turtle Patrol T-shirt. To report concerns, contact the Sarasota County call center at (941) 861-5000.

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