Latest News

Orchid experts visit Statia
(June 12 2008)

St. Eustatius National Parks this week received a visit from orchid expert Dr. James Ackerman and population dynamics expert Dr. Raymond Tremblay, both from the University of Puerto Rico. They visited Statia in order to assist STENAPA with an inventory of the orchids of the island and to establish a monitoring program to ensure the conservation of Statia’s orchid species. They spent three full days out in the field with National Park Ranger Hannah Leslie and intern Lindsay Galway.
Statia is home to about 14 species of orchid, some of which have not been seen for some time. Brassavola cucullata is just one of the magnificent specimens found on the island. The island has several more species than others of similar size such as St. Barths, St. Maarten, Nevis and Saba, and more than a number of much larger islands as well. The diversity of habitats found on Statia is key to the relatively high number of species found. The hot, relatively dry conditions found on Boven harbour some species not seen elsewhere, and conversely the moist lush forests on the upper elevations of the Quill are occupied by other species. With the advent of the Boven and Quill National Parks, the orchids have a home where they have the potential to thrive for the enjoyment of all.
Orchids on Statia and elsewhere exist because of a web of relationships with other organisms. An orchid seed cannot germinate without being infected by a fungus (which the orchid then parasitizes!), and orchids usually cannot produce seeds without bees, birds, butterflies, wasps, or moths to pollinate the flowers. Each species has one or few types of pollinators, and in the case of Brassavola cucullata, the pollinator is likely to be a long-tongued moth that probes the depths of the flower searching for nectar. The flower emits a heavy sweet perfume at night to attract the moth. The orchid, though, offers nothing for the services of the moth. The orchid’s partners for survival are not partners after all. The orchid takes advantage of the fungus and dupes the pollinator. As Brassavola cucullata shows, Statia should be recognized not only for its remarkable marine life, but also for its fascinating plant life.
STENAPA will continue its orchid study on Statia and is keen to set up a long-term research project in collaboration with the University of Puerto Rico. The organization also looks forward to welcoming Jim and Raymond back to Statia in early 2009 so that they can document the terrestrial orchids which bloom at that time. [go up]

New species of beetle discovered in Statia
(June 4 2008)

Very little information is known about the diversity and numbers of fauna and flora of St Eustatius, and much of the current information is based on scientific work carried out pre-1970. In the past five years, St Eustatius National Parks has been working with a number of scientists to increase knowledge about nature on Statia, and within the National Parks. An island wide plant inventory commenced in January this year, followed by further research in March when there were new records of a terrestrial orchid (Mesadenus lucayanus) as well as mistletoe (Phoradendron trinervium).
Existing records (dating as early as 1937) report only four families and 11 species of beetles in St Eustatius. During a rapid inventory of beetle diversity in the Quill/Boven National Park on 26-27 May 2008, around 1000 specimens were collected by entomologist Dr Michael Ivie from Montana State University. Dr Ivie has now contacted St Eustatius National Parks to confirm that he has added records for 13 new families of beetles. At the species level, Dr Ivie confirmed that the known number of species of beetles has at least quadrupled, with further examination of the specimens required to complete the documentation. The large increase in number of species recorded in just two days of fieldwork points toward a very much larger number of beetles in St Eustatius, and Dr Ivie is planning to return to St Eustatius for a more detailed inventory.
Whilst there is understandably very little interest in beetles, insects are undeniably critical to the terrestrial eco-system on St Eustatius, as they are a food source for animals higher up the food chain, and also speed up decomposition of dead animals and plants. [go up]

Board elections St. Eustatius National Parks Foundation (STENAPA)
(March 8 2008)

The board of the St. Eustatius National Parks Foundation (STENAPA) held their biannual elections during the April board meeting. Congratulations are in order for Ms. Ruth Pandt who was elected Treasurer and Mrs. Ingrid Walther, elected Secretary of the organization. Ruth Pandt, who represents the Beautification Committee, now takes over the Treasurer position from Ms. Jana Mason who had held the position for two consecutive terms. Statutes prevent a member from exceeding two terms in an elected position.
Mrs. Walther, part owner of the Scubaqua dive centre and fulfilling the position of dive shop representative on the board, now fills the position of secretary which had been vacant for some two years.
There is no change in the positions of the remaining two elected officers, Mr. Irving Brown (President) and Mr. Ronald Courtar (Vice-President). Beside the four elected members there are five ordinary members who are Ms. Pamela Berkel (representing Statia PRIDE), Ms. Kay Boyd, Ms. Jana Mason, Mr. Daniel Eaton and Mr. Ira Walker. The board of the National Parks Foundation would like to remind the general public that anyone who is interested in becoming a member should submit a letter of interest to the National Park Visitor Centre. Board meetings are generally held on the evening of the first Tuesday of every month. [go up]

New orchid discovered during botany course on Statia
(March 8 2008)

During the past two weeks, St Eustatius National Parks (STENAPA) has been fortunate to receive a training course from botanist André van Proosdij from the Hortus Botanicus of Amsterdam. Van Proosdij was born on Curaçao, has worked with CARMABI and is author of the Zakflora of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao. Asked about the plants of Statia, he explained that ‘behind every rock, and every corner, there is something new to discover’.
The team of rangers and other staff members visited a number of different areas of Statia, including the rich vegetation zones of the Quill and Boven National Park. Some of the striking discoveries of last week include four new patches of Statia Morning Glory (Ipomoea sphenophylla) on the eastern slopes of Bergje in the Boven National Park, a plant of Mistletoe (Phoradendron trinervium) as well as many new records of orchids (both terrestrial and epiphytic) in both the Quill and Boven National Park. The most exciting discovery was the first record of a terrestrial orchid in the Boven National Park.
The orchid was almost hidden on a very inaccessible rocky slope and spotted by team. This orchid species, Mesadenus lucayanus is a new record for St Eustatius. This orchid is found on the islands of BVI and Antigua. New areas of the Dancing Dolls orchid (Tolumnia urophylla were also found in the Quill (above White Wall) National Park. Following these discoveries, Ranger Hannah Leslie will study and map orchid distribution more closely on Statia.
The team of Park Rangers had already participated in the plant survey by the New York Botanical Garden in February this year. After these weeks of intensive training, the local team is now well trained and able to continue the survey of flora of Statia. [go up]

Bonaire National Marine Park rangers visit Statia
(March 2008)

During the past two weeks, a team of three rangers from Bonaire National Marine Park have been working closely with rangers in Statia National Marine Park. The visit was organised as the second stage of a ranger exchange scheme between STINAPA Bonaire and STENAPA through a programme to increase capacity of park rangers and funded by the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA). Three staff from STENAPA had already worked with rangers in Bonaire in April 2006.
The Bonaire rangers completed all the routine daily tasks of the Marine Park, including mooring maintenance, patrols, yacht fee collection, diver supervision and fee checks, turtle in-water monitoring dives, Zeelandia beach clean-up, patrol boat and dinghy maintenance, and snorkel club instruction for 8-10 year olds. They also worked hard with Statia rangers, Walter Blair and Nadio Spanner to install four new yacht moorings using manta rays in Oranjestad Bay.
Upon their departure, the rangers said that they had learned a great deal in Statia and that they had found that the people were very friendly and gentle – much more friendly than in Bonaire. The Chief Ranger urged the Island Government that if they want to keep the coral in good health, they need to put down more laws, such as banning spear fishing (especially those working with tourists) and also ensuring that there was more personnel working for the Marine Park. [go up]

Project to develop Fruit and Children’s Garden at Botanical Garden
(January 2008)

A project of approximately 49,000 guilders has been awarded to STENAPA to provide supplies and equipment enabling the creation of a Children’s Garden and the Fruit Garden in the Miriam C. Schmidt Botanical Garden. The grant was awarded by USONA via the Department of Environment and Nature (MINA) in late 2007.
The project activities focus on Phase 2 of the Botanical Garden. A public pavilion will be constructed at the top of the Children’s Garden as a centre for school and group activities and equipped with solar panels, cistern, and picnic tables. The solar panels are an environmentally friendly option for the pavilion, making it electrically self-sufficient. In addition, visitors will be able to use the area to picnic or rest in the shade. Although this pavilion will be centered in the Children’s Garden, it will also benefit the Fruit Garden by collecting rainwater and providing water for the Fruit Garden.
The Children’s Garden is situated on a fairly steeply sloping hillside. Project activities have already commenced to landscape this garden area with a bulldozer to grade and form several different activity areas, including a playground area with swings, a playhouse, and a climbing frame. In addition, the grant provides funds for rubber ground covering made out of recycled tires to make the area safer for children playing.
Currently, there are only several fruit trees in the Fruit Garden that have been grown from cuttings from local trees. This project provides much needed funds to obtain and plant a wider diversity of fruit trees. The funds specifically for the Fruit Garden include fruit trees, potting soil, plant books, markers, and information boards for visitors. At the moment, the fruit garden is being cleared of Corallita to make room for the new fruit trees.
Progress has been underway at both the Children’s Garden and the Fruit Garden since early 2007, mostly through clearing Corallita and creating garden areas within natural vegetation. Information signs for both gardens are currently being designed and printed so that they will be in place in the next months. All supplies and equipment should be on island in time to officially open the Children’s Garden by mid 2008, and the Fruit Garden a little later.
Even though these gardens are not yet completed, the Miriam C. Schmidt Botanical Gardens are open seven days a week from sunup to sundown. Visitors are welcome to check out the established gardens as well as our current progress. [go up]

New staf member joins STENAPA

We would like to announce that STENAPA has a new staff member, Lee Munson has joined as Manager of Statia National Marine Park. This is a new position merging roles from two previous posts of Assistant Manager and Sea Turtle Coordinator.
Lee is originally from Exeter, UK and spent his teenage years in Spain. In 2001, he graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Marine Biology, specializing in Coastal Ecology. With a passion for conserving the marine environment and an interest in protected area management, Lee has since travelled, volunteered and worked around the globe. Lee gained his dive instructor certification in 2004.
In April 2004, Lee joined Global Vision International working on the Meso-American Barrier Reef System (MBRS) monitoring program in Mahahual, Mexico. His role was diverse including; dive (PADI) and reef survey, tuition for volunteers, boat handling, equipment maintenance, data and base management.
In 2005, Lee started his own company in Sweden, offering dive and marine ecological services on a small scale. He was contracted in by the Naturhistoriska riksmuseet in Stockholm in order to survey, collect and identify the marine fish of Los Cobanos, El Salvador. This, the first scientific marine survey of the area was written up as a report (in publication) on the biodiversity present with recommendations for management that will assist in the development of a marine reserve. This work highlighted the importance of involving NGOs, dive centres, fishermen, local communities, universities, local government and other stakeholders in conservation efforts.
From 2006-2007, Lee travelled in Africa and worked at two Mozambican Eco-Lodges. His responsibilities as dive manager and marine biologist at Guludo Beach lodge were varied allowing him to gain extensive experience in dive centre management including the servicing and maintenance of all the equipment (compressor, boats, SCUBA equipment), refining the local dive team (protocols) and dive safety. Whilst diving at the Lodge, he managed to gather valuable data (coral health, indicator specie abundance, turtle and shark population data and abiotics). The most exciting monitoring program was the humpback whale project. With funding from Eco tourism, the team was able to record behaviour and photo identify passing whales for the South African Population Database, as well as raise public awareness and aid conservation. [go up]

Annual reef monitoring of St Eustatius Marine Park

St Eustatius Marine Park completed their third annual monitoring survey of the reef this month. Using the Reef Check survey protocol, a total of 16 survey dives took place to assess numbers of fish, invertebrates and reef substrate at Barracuda Reef and Mushroom Garden in the Southern Reserve. The surveys are conducted by laying down a 100m transect line starting at the mooring line. The divers then swim along this line recording numbers and species of fish and invertebrates, as well as the substrate directly below the line. The data collection is done on two separate occasions for a better-rounded representation of the reef’s health.
Reef Check is the largest international coral monitoring and conservation programme that commenced in 1996 when 1107 sites were accepted for study. The data help scientists evaluate the health of reefs and their ecosystems on a global scale. An example of the information gained is “the 1997-98 coral bleaching event reduced live coral cover by 10% globally, indicating that coral reefs are a sensitive indicator of global warming,” (2004 Reef Check Instruction Manual).
Similar to all neighbouring islands, St Eustatius experienced an incident of coral bleaching during August-October 2005 when sea water temperature exceeded 30¾C over two months. Data for 2005 and 2007 show that deeper site, Barracuda Reef, was more broadly impacted by the bleaching with a large decrease in live substrate (from 99% to 57%). The reef at Mushroom Garden was less impacted (live substrate cover declining from 873% to 73%). In addition to impacts from coral bleaching, some variation in substrate cover may also be attributed to the fact that the transect line is not permanent.
Fish populations at both sites are healthy, and, despite the change in reef due to bleaching, both sites had higher numbers of fish in 2007. The most abundant fish species at the shallower site, Mushroom Gardens were parrotfish. The most common fish were Haemulidae (grunts and margates), parrotfish and groupers at Barracuda Reef. The large increase in numbers of grouper has been particularly notable; this fish family is easily fished out and was rarely seen when the Marine Park opened in 1997.
Another sign of the protected status of these reefs is the abundance of soft corals. Gorgonians or sea fans (as shown in picture) are the most common coral found at these sites and there was an amazing total of 212 counted during the survey at Mushroom Gardens.
One way to track recovery of a reef from bleaching is through the amount of nutrient indicator algae. High algal cover can negatively impact on the repair and revival of hard corals after a harmful incident such as coral bleaching. Both survey sites currently have approximately 25% cover by nutrient indicator algae. As the algae is relatively dispersed, it is hoped that hard coral cover at both reefs will continue to recover in 2008. A more detailed report is available on www.statiapark.org. [go up]
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“Track” Trucking to the Virgin Islands.

A week after Track has been equipped with a satellite transmitter, signals are coming in from the Virgin Islands and even north of Puerto Rico. Track has covered over 380 kilometers in as little as seven days, averaging 76 kilometers to her feeding grounds.
After nesting attempts on Zeelandia beach Track is now migrating to her feeding grounds. Her total distance traveled since she has was equipped with her satellite transmitter is 762 Km.
The DCNA turtle tracking programme is a collaborative effort between St Eustatius National Parks (STENAPA) and the Nature Foundation St Maarten. Its objectives are to collect migration information on hard shell (Hawksbill, Green) species of sea turtles within the Eastern Caribbean.
Up to date information on Track’s whereabouts can be found here
[go up]

Tracking “Track”

The last of the five turtle tracking satellites allocated to St Eustatius (STENAPA) and St. Maarten (NFSXM) was used on Zeelandia Beach at 11:27 P.M. on Saturday the first of September. This Green turtle has been recorded on Statia for the last five years and has already come up to nest four times during the 2007 season. She was previously recorded in 2002 and in 2005. The Turtle, named “Track”, attempted to nest but found the area she chose to be too rocky. The satellite transmitter was activated at 12:11 A.M. on the 2nd as the work to attach the transmitter began. After all the work was completed, fiberglass dried and tested, she was released back into the ocean by 3:20 A.M. on the 2nd.
“Track” is an average sized green turtle, 1.12 meters in length and 1.07 meters wide. She was previously tagged by STENAPA. The satellite will give detailed information that could have never been collected without the contribution of DCNA (Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance). Track is using Zeelandia Beach as her home base for the nesting phase of her life. This makes the data being collected more valuable to see what waters she frequents for other periods of the year.
All STENAPA volunteers and interns, along with the Marine Turtle Coordinator as well as several local residents were present for this event. Up to date information on Track’s whereabouts can be found here

Satellite Transmission of two turtles terminated

The journeys of Lisa and Grace, two turtles found on Zeelandia beach and fitted with satellite tracking systems in September, have come to an end. Lisa, a hawksbill turtle, was fitted with a satellite transmitter on Zeelandia beach on September 8th 2006, while Grace, the green turtle, was fitted with a transmitter ten days later, on September 18th. The two turtles were both satellite tagged in St Eustatius on Zeelandia Beach. The battery used for the tracking systems has an estimated life of six months under ideal conditions.
Lisa was the first hawksbill of her species nesting on Statia for the season. She laid 143 eggs and has an average carapace length of 85.5 cm. Her name was chosen by Evan Hassel, a 4th grade student at the Governor de Graaf School, who was one of the winners of an art and craft competition held in 2005. Lisa’s last transmission was made on February 1st 2007 after she had travelled 2870 kilometres with the tracking device. The foraging habits of hawksbills tend to deteriorate the satellite devices faster than other turtles. This is mainly due to the fact that they manoeuvre themselves into crevices to feed on their favourite meal of sponges. The loss of satellite transmission is normal and in no way implies injury, capture, or death. The last transmission placed Lisa only 50 kilometres from St Eustatius but she also travelled and spent some time around the Virgin Islands, possibly nesting there. Her last transmission was from the uninhabited cay between St Bartholomew and St Maarten.
Grace was the other turtle fitted with a tracking device. Her name was chosen by Naomi Smith, age 11, who also was one of the 2005 winners of the art and craft competition. This green turtle was seen on September 18th 2006, and a satellite transmitter was attached to her carapace that same night. While up on the beach, she laid a clutch of 129 eggs. She has a carapace length of 106 cm and there has never been a record of her during the four years of the turtle-monitoring program on the beaches of St Eustatius. Her last transmission came on the June 6th 2007, from the waters of St Kitts and Nevis. The tracking showed unusual behaviour in that she did not travel as far as most green turtles during this period of time. As with Lisa, the loss of transmission took place around the expected time for the battery to expire and does not raise any questions about the wellbeing of the turtle. In total, Grace journeyed 4412 kilometres but remained around the islands of St Eustatius, St Kitts and Nevis. She was also in the same foraging areas as two green turtles from Guadeloupe, Coccinelle and Laeticia. Coccinelle and Laeticia are turtles that were released from the French West Indies Island of Guadeloupe at the end of August 2006. They are a part of a satellite tracking project of the Marine Turtle Research Group. The progress of these turtles, along with turtles found on other nesting beaches around the world, are tracked by www.seaturtles.org.
Through this tracking study, the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) aimed to learn the geographical range of marine turtles breeding on islands of the Dutch Caribbean. Also, DCNA wanted to engage the public in turtle conservation issues by showcasing turtles' migratory behavior and building local capabilities for performing advanced sea turtle conservation projects. As an aside, an ancillary benefit to this was an opportunity to look at foraging ground movements as the primary objective of capturing turtles’ migratory movements. The 2006 DCNA turtle tracking effort is a collaboration between CARMABI (Curacao), St Eustatius National Parks, and the Nature Foundation Sint Maarten. [go up]

STENAPA and BroadReach clean Atlantic Beaches.

On the 30th of June, STENAPA, BroadReach and the general public joined together in a collaborative effort to clean up some of Statia’s beaches. Zeelandia, along with Turtle Beach, was made cleaner of plastic, paper, Styrofoam, diapers, and washed-up tyres by Saturday night. The motive was to offer a cleaner beach for both residents as well as nesting sea turtles to enjoy. Zeelandia Beach is the primary nesting beach where critically endangered marine turtles come to nest. Leatherback, Green and Hawksbill turtles have been seen nesting on Zeelandia. Cleaner beaches provide nesting females and hatchlings with a better chance of survival. Garbage left in the sea or on the beach can obstruct nesting grounds and trap emerging hatchlings. Plastics are also a threat as they look like the leatherback’s favorite food: jellyfish. Over half of the sea turtles found dead have plastics lined in their intestines.
Over 30 people worked vigorously on Saturday afternoon for almost two hours to make the Atlantic beaches a nicer place. In total over three truckloads were hauled away including a broken buoy and several tires. In addition to STENAPA staff, interns and volunteers, over twenty BroadReach members participated in the beach cleanup and three members of the public, including a four month-old baby.
Later this month, BroadReach groups will also be helping to improve Couchar Mountain trail and to clear Corallita from the Quill entrance trail and from the Botanical Garden. The BroadReach group is comprised of mostly US teenagers, ages 13-18, that sail around the Caribbean and offer summer adventures for teenagers, including scuba, sailing, marine biology, academic and wilderness programs that span the globe. Furthermore, the BroadReach group provides opportunities for these teenagers to learn new skills while providing a valuable community services such as beach cleanups, trail building, road clearing and neighborhood cleanup beautification projects.
Foundations interested in having BroadReach students to help on a project this month should contact the National Park visitors centre with details. Further information about future beach cleanups or other upcoming activities of the St Eustatius Sea Turtle Conservation and Monitoring Program are available at the visitors centre in Gallows Bay (tel 318 2884). [go up]

Stenapa Summer Club a huge success

St. Eustatius National Parks’ Summer Club for kids started with a bang yesterday. A total of 24 children aged eight to 13 have signed up for the month-long club which includes hiking, snorkeling and turtle education activities. The aim of the Summer Club is to encourage local children to be more active, while at the same time learning more about some of the fascinating plants, animals and marine life that can be found on their island. Participation in the club is higher than usual thanks to financial support from John and Danielle Wiginton from Vecenergy Resources, who felt the course was a great incentive and agreed to sponsor up to 30 children.
The activities began with a visit to the Miriam C. Schmidt Botanical Garden where the children were given a tour by Ranger Carlton van Putten. They then played a game in which they each were blindfolded and had to identify certain plants or flowers from their smell. These included: white cinnamon, frangipani, Curacao sage, lemongrass, basil and jasmine. After the game the students walked up the Bird Trail leading into the Quill National Park, identifying flora along the way and learning more about the Red Bellied Racer snake which lives in the park. To end the morning session, students played a game called “Who Am I?” in which they had to guess which plant or animal they were by asking questions.
STENAPA’s Summer Club runs from 2 July to 2 August every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. The club is coordinated by Stenapa staff and assisted by interns and volunteers. Each child receives a free Stenapa t-shirt and use of snorkeling equipment. Students can look forward to hikes in the Quill National Park, boat rides to snorkel sites, and learning more about the life of sea turtles that live in Statia’s waters. Stenapa wishes to thank Vecenergy for their support in helping make the club a success. [go up]

First Baby Hatchling Waves Hello To Statia!

On Friday, May 25th, the first baby hatchlings emerged from Zeelandia beach. Leatherback hatchlings were found at approximately 7:07 AM by Marine Turtle Program Coordinator, Arturo Herrera, and STENAPA Intern, Lauren Maloney.
Mr. Herrera noticed a pair of Yellow-Crested Night Herons congregating in an area where a leatherback had nested at the end of March. The Turtle Coordinator chased off the birds. Sadly a heron took off with a hatchling in its mouth. It was not determined how many baby hatchlings were eaten as there were numerous tracks of both birds and baby hatchlings. When Mr. Herrera and Ms. Maloney arrived, there was only one hatchling left and it was upside down. Ms. Maloney assisted it by turning it right side up and it made its way to the sea.
Around two in the afternoon 19 more hatchlings emerged but unfortunately three of them succumbed to the heat of the sun’s rays. Reactions were varied from the group of onlookers present, from excitement to awe. STENAPA intern Lawrence Cook was almost moved to tears by the experience of seeing the little hatchlings. There were over twenty present to witness the beginning of a remarkable journey. In total, twenty hatchlings made it from Zeelandia Beach to the Atlantic to begin their amazing voyage. Four died, including at least one from a bird.
Leaving the nest is a group activity that can take several days. The first turtles to hatch wait until more are freed. This creates a small air pocket that gives the hatchlings room to move. The activity of one turtle triggers the movement of others so they move as a group towards the surface. Hatchlings usually emerge from their nest at night in response to cooling surface temperatures. The hatchlings probably started moving upwards the night before and reached the surface early in the morning.
Almost nothing is known about the first years of a Leatherback's life after they leave as hatchlings. The hatchlings make it to the sea after emerging from the nest and are not seen again until many years later when the adult females, which have survived the countless predators, find a beach on which to lay their first clutch of eggs. The 'lost years' in between are a mystery. Only a few hatchlings in 1000 will survive to maturity and lay eggs of their own. Many are killed, especially by man, before they reach this age. Sometimes we do not kill them directly, but still they perish from our activities. For example, can drown when they become entangled in fishing nets. Also, turtles are very sensitive to light. The hatchlings are attracted by these artificial lights and crawl inland. These hatchlings never find the sea and they often die in the morning sun. Finally, turtles can mistake plastic bags for jellyfish and die when their stomachs become packed with plastic.
As with all reptiles, it is the temperature of the eggs during incubation which decides whether the hatchling will be male or female. In the case of Leatherbacks, the critical temperature seems to be just below 29o Centigrade. Above that temperature there will be more females and vice versa. For this reason, the hatchlings from the top of the nest are more likely to be female as it is hotter nearer the surface. Incubation can take from 60 to 75 days, depending upon the temperature in the nest. [go up]

Statians Gather to See off Baby Leatherback Hatchlings and Greet New Sea Turtle Intern

On the 19th of June, over 50 curious onlookers gathered at Zeelandia Beach to witness the release of leatherback hatchlings. The crowd was anxious to see the release of baby leatherbacks that had been spotted at 7.15am that day by Marine Turtle Program Coordinator, Arturo Herrera, and newly-arrived Marine Turtle Intern, Shizu Fukui. When Mr. Herrera had approached one of the nests, he noticed four tracks and two tiny leatherback hatchlings on the sand. One hatchling was on its back, the other had succumbed to the heat of the early morning sun. The two other tracks led to diverse endings - one to the ocean, and the other tracks met directly with larger bird tracks, possibly a tri-Colored Night Heron or a Green Backed Heron.
Later that day at 4.15pm, the Marine Turtle Program Coordinator went out to investigate the nest and found that just below the surface were more hatchlings ready to make their incredible journey to the ocean. Mr. Herrera phoned interested members of the public who had stated beforehand that they were interested in viewing the release of these Critically Endangered animals. Over 50 people gathered to attend the occasion. Those who came out included members of the Statia Police, Dwight Barran who filmed the scene, local Divemaster and head of the Fisherman’s Association, Renaldo Redan, STENAPA’s Junior Ranger Graduates, members of the St Eustatius Medical School and Dutch tourists. Mr. Herrera had dug the nest to ensure that all the hatchlings were taken out of the sand and gathered the hatchlings in a 5-gallon bucket for safekeeping. After digging and finding no more leatherback hatchlings, Ms. Fukui directed the crowd on appropriate tips for viewing the hatchlings and not obstructing their way to the ocean. She, along with Junior Ranger graduates, released 10 healthy hatchlings who all found their way towards the ocean. It took a little over an hour for all baby hatchlings to locate the Atlantic Ocean and start their perilous journey.
After hatching, the baby turtles dig out of the nest and scurry to the ocean, usually in a group. It is thought that during incubation, or immediately following emergence from the nest, the hatchlings’ directional sense is imprinted on to the earth's magnetic field. This “imprinting” helps guide them back to the same site to lay their eggs when they reach breeding age. Although the first two months of their lives are on land, or just underneath the surface, marine turtles spend most of their lives in the sea. Females come back to the beach only for nesting while males never return to land.

If you wish to learn more about viewing nesting turtles or other research activities of the St Eustatius Marine Turtle Conservation and Monitoring Program, information is available at the National Park visitors centre in Gallows Bay, or call 318-2884. Furthermore, souvenirs such as T-shirts and jewelry can be purchased at the National Park visitors centre to help support the Marine Turtle Program. [go up]

Two Dead Turtles Found During the Month of May

On the morning of 16th of May, STENAPA staff came across a drowned Hawksbill on the City Harbor. The juvenile hawksbill had been trapped in the net of a local fisherman and could not free itself from the nets, subsequently drowning. This has raised the tally of two turtles that have been found dead in Statian waters since the beginning of May. On the first of May, a Leatherback was found washed ashore missing its head and front and back flippers.
The hawksbill that was found last Wednesday was commonly seen in Statian waters and considered a resident of the local waters. It had been measured at no more than 50 cm. It could not be determined how long the turtle was trapped in the net, but STENAPA staff determined that the turtle was dead before they reached it and had an opportunity to free it. The fisherman had no knowledge of its incidental capture. The hawksbill is considered a critically endangered species by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) losing over 80 percent of its species in 50 years. Over-harvesting is one of the major causes of the decline in hawksbill populations worldwide. International trade in tortoiseshell is now banned and many governments have passed legislation against its sale in local markets.
The hawksbill is one of the smaller sea turtles, usually found in the tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. It can be easily identified by its beak-like mouth adapted for picking sponges from coral reefs and its beautifully patterned brown and gold shell. The sponges that they eat contain glass needles called "spicules". It is commonly thought it takes 20 to 30 years of age to reach sexual maturity. This particular hawksbill was thought to be no more than aged ten years.
On the 1st of May, a dead leatherback turtle was encountered by the Marine Park intern, Mirella Wognum, on Zeelandia Beach during a morning track survey. The Programme Co-coordinator, Arturo Herrera, assisted by Marine Park interns Liz Hartel and Mirella Wognum, performed a rudimentary necropsy to determine the cause of death.
On initial examination it was discovered that the turtle had no plastron and most of the internal organs had been eaten. On preliminary inspection very little remained of the turtle except its carapace. It was realized that this turtle nested on 19 April 2007 as she was identified by a barnacle on her left side of her shell. It is speculated that all bites occurred post-mortem. The Programme Coordinator was able to conduct a very basic necropsy. The remaining internal organs were examined; none showed signs of disease or damage. The reproductive organs showed her to be female and the ovaries were developed indicating that she was breeding adult. Unfortunately no definitive answer as to the cause of death was determined from the necropsy.
The leatherback turtle has been classified world-wide as Endangered since 1970. While adults are at sea, their major threats are from humans. Ingesting plastic, rubber, tar, oil, and other synthetic materials can kill an adult leatherback or severely injure it. Many have been injured by colliding with boats, especially in shallow water. The equipment associated with commercial fishing, including lines, nets, ropes, and cables can entangle adult turtles and can cause drowning. [go up]

Large leatherback turtle nests on Statia

On the night of 10 April, 2007, a female leatherback returned to the beach she was born, Zeelandia Beach, to nest. She was met by a small group of interested people to watch her nest activities and she did not disappoint. Around 1:15 AM, the female began laying her eggs.
Among the onlookers were four interested members of the public, five volunteers and three interns for St. Eustatius National Parks, one STENAPA staff member and the Marine Turtle Programme Coordinator, Arturo Herrera. The nesting female was a leatherback that had never been previously recorded. She was tagged on her rear flippers so she can be identified when she returns or is seen by another turtle project within the Caribbean region.
“It was real interesting to look at” stated Nadio Spanner. “That was the first time I saw a leatherback. It was my first time. I didn’t know they came to Statia. They get real big.”
The female took just over an hour to finish and most of the onlookers got to see the majority of the egg-laying process. This female recorded the second known nest on Statia. “I believe that getting the public interested is important because these are Statia’s turtles and the public should be excited getting such a unique animal on our beaches.” stated Mr. Herrera.
The process of this critically endangered animal is a unique, yet arduous process. When a turtle has found the right place, she will excavate a body-pit, using all four flippers to throw out the sand. She makes a shallow depression for herself in the sand. The hind flippers alternate digging, excavating an egg chamber. Once the egg chamber is completed, laying will commence. Eggs drop into the chamber three or four at a time; their soft-shells ensure that they don’t crack. During the actual egg laying, the turtle goes into a semi-trance. The turtle covers the eggs when finished and fills the nest with sand, using her hind flippers to firmly pack the sand down. With the chamber filled, she disguises the nest by scattering sand with all four flippers. As the turtle moves and turns, the sand is scattered making it hard to locate to exact location of the eggs. Shortly, it is impossible to tell where the egg chamber is concealed. Eventually the turtle will move towards the sea, leaving a large area of churned up sand that hides the exact location of the egg chamber. After approximately 60 days, the hatchlings emerge to start the life cycle.
The Leatherback turtle’s carapace has a texture similar to leather, which is the reason for its name. Its shell is very different from all other turtle shells, which are strong and hard. The Leatherback is the most widely distributed of all sea turtles, ranging through all the oceans from the sub-Arctic to the southern extremes of all continents. The species can travel over 5,900 km (3,600 miles) in its search for food, but despite traveling these large distances the females will always return to the same area to nest.
Further information about viewing nesting turtles or other research activities of the St Eustatius Sea Turtle Conservation and Monitoring Program are available at the National Park visitors centre in Gallows Bay, or call the Program Coordinator on 318-2884. [go up]

Transmitter turtles making waves

Two turtles outfitted with satellite tracking transmitters as part of a migration behaviour study have made waves since leaving St Eustatius. A hawksbill turtle named Lisa was fitted with a satellite transmitter on Zeelandia beach on September 8th of this year and has happily been making the uninhabited islands between St Barts and St Maarten her home since the last third of October. Grace, the green turtle, was fitted with a transmitter this 18th of September at Zeelandia beach as well, and currently has found sanctuary between St Kitts and Nevis.

The two turtles are part of an inter-island project funded by the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA), involving St. Eustatius National Park (STENAPA) and the Nature Foundation St Maarten. The aim of this study is to have a better understanding of where the sea turtles nesting on Statia and St Maarten travel to when they leave. The migration habits of these species are not fully understood and studies such as these are needed to help identify possible threats turtles may face by providing more information about their migration routes between different habitats. Unfortunately, St Maarten had very little nesting this season and no turtles from St. Maarten were able to be equipped with satellite tracking transmitters.

Lisa was the first hawksbill to be observed nesting on St Eustatius for the 2006 season. She laid 143 eggs on Zeelandia Beach, located on the Atlantic side of the island. Lisa took off from Statia, and headed straight to St Barts. She remained around the uninhabited islands between St Barts and St Maarten for over 2 weeks before moving to Anguilla for a few days. In late September she started moving again, and traveled to the US Virgin Islands where she stayed until approximately October 7th. Then Lisa started out for open water and appeared to head back towards Anguilla but veered to the uninhabited islands again between St Barts and St Maarten in mid-October where she has been since.

Grace was the first green turtle tracked from St Eustatius in 2006. She laid 129 eggs on Zeelandia Beach. She was never previously encountered during the four years of monitoring on St Eustatius. Grace has not traveled as far as Lisa. She initially started towards St Kitts, but then looked as if she was heading back towards Statia. On September 29th, 2006, the nightly turtle patrol saw her as she finished nesting and returning to the ocean. They checked the transmitter and everything appeared to be in good order. Since then, Grace has headed south and is presently between St Kitts and Nevis – roughly 50km from her release site.

The turtles were named as part of an art and craft competition, held in 2005 as part of the education programme for the satellite tracking project. Lisa’s name was chosen by Evan Hassel, a 4th grade student at the Governor de Graaf School. Grace’s name was chosen by Naomi Smith, aged 11.

Marine turtles survived the extinction of the dinosaurs and many prehistoric animals but threats such as pollution, fisheries by-catch, being hunted for their meat and eggs and use of their shell in ornamental jewelry have seen their numbers spiral. Currently, three of the seven existing species are critically endangered while three species are endangered. Green turtles are an endangered species while hawksbill turtles are critically endangered.

Further information about the tracking project and the other research activities of the St Eustatius Sea Turtle Conservation and Monitoring Programme are available at the National Park visitors centre in Gallows Bay, or call the Programme Coordinator on 318-2884. [visit Sea Turtle Project page] [go up]

September 2006 - The story of Captain Scout of The Black Turtle

STENAPA St. Eustatius, Nature Foundation St Maarten and the Saba Conservation Foundation will be diving into the topic of WATER as their new educational school project. The programme, sponsored by the Prince Bernard Culture Fund, will run from September 2006 to July 2007. The goal of this programme is to stimulate students’ interest in marine life.

The programme is suitable for students in cycle one and the newly installed cycle 2 (former grades 3 and 4). As the title already implies, the WATER topic is fitted into a pirate theme. The programme focuses on marine life and the different characteristics of water. In addition, a broader picture of the water cycle will be discussed. The major awareness goals of this project are that students learn about the importance of water, our marine habitat and coastal vegetation. Hopefully this awareness will result in the loss of fear of what occurs in (at unknown depths of) the ocean and more respect for underwater ecosystems.

Again the sea turtle mascot, Scout, is involved. Cursed by the spell of greed, he becomes the wicked captain of the pirate ship “The Black Turtle” and he and his crew sail out to find a hidden treasure. Each of their adventures during this journey is the introduction to one new lesson on water. Topics that will be discussed include: ‘scary underwater life (or rather: defensive survival strategies that only succeed by their chilling effects)’; ‘different eating habits of underwater life’; ‘the water cycle’; and ‘mangroves’. The program ends with topics that discuss the physical characteristics of water such as floating and surface tension. In the end, Scout is freed from the curse of greed and returns to the sea as the friendly turtle he always was.

All four primary schools are participating in this programme with monthly class activities for each grade. If dive schools or individual ocean visitors have nice stories about our specific Windward underwater residents and their habits or digital images which could help illustrate the topic, they would be gratefully accepted and integrated in this new educational program. Email dominique@naturefoundationsxm.org for more information.[go up]

September 2006: Survey of new artificial reef for fishermen indicates increased fish diversity

A recent survey of the latest artificial reef to be created by St Eustatius Marine Park indicates an increase in the number of fish species in the area. The reef project was initiated following a meeting with local fisherman in February 2004; they requested that the Marine Park create an artificial reef designated solely for fishing, and not as a dive site. It was agreed at that meeting to locate the new reef at a depth of 75 feet, west of the Southern Marine Reserve. Following some equipment delays, the reef was finally completed in February 2006 with the sinking of a pipe, concrete mix barrel and the tug boat “Miss Cathy”. The Marine Park wishes to acknowledge the assistance provided by Statia Terminal in making this project possible.

Following a “settling-in” period of six months since the sinking of the last reef structures, a survey was conducted in August to assess the fish population at the new reef. It was found that both diversity and density of fish had increased when compared to the results of the survey conducted prior to the creation of the reef. Diversity increased from 14 to 18 species, and more than twice as many fish were recorded than in the initial survey. The new species were observed in large numbers, in particular shoals of Bar Jack, Blue Tang, Striped Grunts and Horse-eye Jacks, all drawn to the area by the new reef structures. As had been agreed upon in 2004 this site is only used for fishing; there is no dive mooring attached, and the site is marked for fishermen by a small brown buoy.

It seems that the new reef is also attracting other marine life. Earlier this month local fisherman “Gordo” caught the largest lobster ever recorded in the Statia Marine Park at this site; it weighed approximately seven pounds.[go up]

August 2006: Broadreach Students Help Clear Land for Next Phase in Corallita Study

This week saw the start of the next phase of the Corallita Research Project being conducted by St Eustatius National Parks Foundation (STENAPA) in conjunction with Dutch botanists Dr Pieter Ketner and Joris Ernst. Following a series of small-scale experiments at the Botanical Garden that started in January and focused on different herbicide application methods, larger scale trials are now being planned. In a series of carefully controlled experiments to be conducted for the next three months, several plots will be treated with different concentrations of herbicide to assess its effectiveness on the invasive species which is overtaking the island’s native vegetation.

However, before these plots can be sprayed and monitored they needed to be cleared of all Corallita growth; no mean feat, considering that each plot is 25m2. To assist in this task STENAPA recruited students from the Broadreach Programme who were on St Eustatius during their 21-day diving and sailing course. They visit several islands in the region and on each one perform a service activity for the local community. Twelve students and staff from the group that visited Statia from 9 - 11 August assisted National Park Ranger, Johan de Bruin, and intern, Evan Jordan, to clear the first of the Corallita experimental plots along the Lower Town Road.

Other members of this group collected garbage from the trails during a hike in the Quill National Park, and the remainder helped Ishmael Berkel and staff from the Lynch Plantation School prepare the classrooms and school grounds in readiness for when the students return from their summer vacation. Earlier this summer previous Broadreach groups volunteered their time with the St Eustatius Centre for Archeological Research (SECAR), assisting with the painting of their building on Rosemary Lane.
Photo is of Broadreach students assisting with clearing Corallita from an experimental plot along the Lower Town Road.[go up]

August 2006: Annual Public Meeting of STENAPA

On 16 August, STENAPA held its first Annual Public Meeting upstairs at the government guesthouse. Members of the public were invited to attend, with snacks and refreshments provided for all. The meeting was chaired by manager Nicole Esteban, and Board, staff and volunteers were present. The meeting was well attended by the Acting Governor and a packed audience.

President, Irving Brown welcomed everyone and started with an introduction about the Board of STENAPA, including founding members and objectives of the Foundation. Manager, Nicole Esteban, continued with a description about the laws founding the national parks as well as activities within the three protected areas maintained by STENAPA at the request of the Island Government: the Marine Park, Quill/Boven and the Miriam C. Schmidt Botanical Garden.

General ongoing operations (mooring/trail maintenance, patrols, research and monitoring, guided hikes, fee collection) by staff and volunteers within each of the parks were described to give an insight into daily activities in the busy life of STENAPA.

2005 activities were presented, highlights of which were: the establishment of the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA), an increase in staff from 3 to 7, plans for the new visitor centre, new house-style and website, a botanical garden mini-guide, monthly radio programme, plastics awareness campaign, a dedicated education officer, completion of phase 1 of the botanical garden, and the publication of a book on reptiles and amphibians of Statia, Saba and St Maarten.

Objectives for 2006 were outlined as: training of staff and the provision of uniforms to increase professionalism, the completion of the visitor centre, sustained finances after 2007, and public awareness.

Dominique Vissenberg, Education Coordinator of the Windward Islands Nature Conservation Organisations, gave a presentation about the educational projects that have taken place in 2005/6 under the Nature & Environmental Education Programme. One theme was ‘waste management’ (see article in July newsletter), aimed at primary school grades 3—6. The theme commencing September 2006 is ‘water’ and is sponsored by the Prins Bernhard Cultural Fund.

Dr. Emma Harrison, STENAPA’s Research Officer, gave background information on the Sea Turtle Conservation Programme, its ultimate goal being to promote the long-term survival of the endangered sea turtle populations of Statia. This goal is to be achieved by safeguarding critical habitat on Statia, providing policy-makers with relevant information, reducing impacts on nesting populations, and directly involving the local community. Previous threats to sea turtles were sand mining, beach erosion and pollution. Sand mining was prohibited by law on Zeelandia beach in 2001.

An in-water survey was carried out this year to identify the number, size and sex of turtles in near-shore waters, and to determine habitat utilization by juvenile turtles. One project planned for 2007 is a preliminary study of the turtles found in near-shore waters around Statia. The primary goal is to identify what species are using the extensive coral reefs around the island; to determine habitat utilisation; to categorise the turtles with relation and if possible to determine the sex of any mature individuals.

At the end of the presentations a Question-and-Answer session was held. Members of the public were invited to ask questions about any issues pertaining to STENAPA’s work. Mr. Irving Brown, President of the board, closed the evening by thanking staff and volunteers for their inputs. This will be an annual event.[go up]

July 2006: Fish populations increasing as a result of protection offered by Statia Marine Park

Eight years of protection and active management within the Statia Marine Park appear to be having beneficial effects, at least for the fish population, according to a recent report from the St Eustatius National Parks Foundation (STENAPA). The Marine Park was opened in 1997 and is comprised of a general use area, which runs from the high water line to the 30m (100ft) depth contour, and two “no-take” reserves at the northern and southern ends of the Statia.

To assess the impact of the management strategies implemented in the Marine Park, a study was conducted in 2004 to collect data regarding the fish population; this was a more extensive repeat of a survey performed in 1992 which gathered baseline information about the fish population before the area was given protected status.

Interviews with local fishermen and dive operators were also performed in 2004 to determine any changes in fishing practices since the Marine Park was designated, and also to gauge their opinion on the success of the Marine Park with respect to fish catch and the condition of the marine environment.

Visual fish surveys were conducted at 16 dive sites within the Marine Park, in both the general use area and the two reserves. The abundance and diversity of fish species was recorded at each site, and the lengths of fish were estimated to calculate the overall density of fish present. The results from the 2004 survey were very encouraging; the number of fish species recorded increased dramatically since the initial survey in 1992. On average 20 – 30 species were seen at each site in 2004, compared to less than ten at the same sites in 1992; the site with the greatest number of species was Blair’s Reef, where 35 species were recorded. The number of species currently present at each site is, on average, 4.9 times greater than that reported for the same site in 1992. When different areas within the Marine Park were compared, the Southern Reserve was found to have the highest overall diversity; over 50 different species of fish were observed within its boundaries in 2004.

Fish density of several fish families, namely Grouper, Wrasse and Jack, was found to be greater within the protected reserves than in the unprotected regions of the Marine Park, indicating that they are benefiting from the regulations that prohibit fishing in these areas. These results should be reflected by a “knock-on” effect being witnessed in neighbouring regions of the Marine Park in the future, which will be of benefit to the local fisheries.

The results of the fisherman surveys were quite varied. When asked to comment on changes to the coral reef environment and the fish populations over the past ten years, half of the fishermen indicated that they saw no changes, while the others replied that there were clear improvements, citing more fish and less anchor damage. These positive responses were recorded in spite of fishermen having to alter their fishing practices to comply with Marine Park regulations.

One of the objectives of the Marine Park is to sustain the fish populations and to create a spill-over effect from the marine reserves into the general use areas. The results of this survey show that this is taking place. Regular evaluation of the management strategies of the Marine Park will involve additional fisheries surveys every two or three years; these studies will continue to incorporate the views of the fishermen, and other stakeholders of the Marine Park.[go up]

July 2006: STENAPA has new visitor facilities

After approximately five months of noise, dirt, concrete dust and paint fumes, the new National Park Visitor Centre is almost complete! The expanded main building houses two offices for staff, a meeting room, internet facilities for visitors, an information centre and a souvenir sales section.

The garden area on the south side of the current facility has been changed to incorporate a public area with picnic tables and facilities for small gatherings and activities, such as the Snorkel Club and Junior Ranger Club.

A new building has been constructed with bathroom facilities, including two toilets and two showers for public use. There will be a small charge to cover water usage. These facilities are open during office hours or by special arrangement.

A new building to the north side of the property provides facilities for a workshop and equipment storage. A covered pavilion area provides shade for maintenance of the Marine Park patrol boat, dinghy and other vehicles, as well as a general maintenance area.

All construction works and improvements were funded by a three-year grant from Stichting Doen in the Netherlands. The garden area was improved with the help of STENAPA staff and volunteers, and many of the plants were kindly donated by Vice President, Ronnie Courtar.

STENAPA would like to thank everybody involved in the construction of the new facilities for their hard work and dedication over the past few months.[go up]