(If we can't solve this problem in the wealthiest nation on Earth, how the hell can we expect people in the Third World to do it? Fort Myers, Fla. News-Press)
August 21, 2010
House lights in Bonita Springs lead turtles astray
Bonita hatchlings head away from Gulf and die
BY ANDREA STETSON
Special to The News-Press
Hundreds of freshly hatched loggerheads marched toward the wrong light and perished needlessly on Bonita Beach in recent weeks, say those who monitor turtles.
It's against the law for residents to shine light toward the beach during turtle season. When turtles hatch, they walk toward the land-based light instead of toward the light of the horizon - and the water - of the Gulf. The hatchlings get eaten, crushed or die for other reasons.
Eve Haverfield, founder in 1989 of Turtle Time, a nonprofit turtle-monitoring organization based in Bonita Springs, said five "disorientations" have happened in the past several weeks because of lights illegally shined on the beach.
In addition to the Bonita disorientations, three incidents have been reported in Collier County. None was reported on Fort Myers Beach or Sanibel/Captiva.
"After 31 years I really expected that we shouldn't be going backward," Haverfield said. "Most people who live along the beach are cognitive that we have sea turtle rules and regulations, so it just baffles me that we have so many problems on the beach."
A Lee County ordinance prohibits residents from shining lights directly or indirectly toward the beach from May 1 to Oct. 31. Bonita, Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel have municipal ordinances, as well.
In Bonita, fines can be as high as $500. No one has been fined, according to Mike Kirby, Bonita's environmental specialist who walks the beach once a week looking for violations.
"It's never gotten that far," Kirby said.
Kirby said he will send a notice of violation - the step before summoning an owner to a hearing - to the owner of property where two bright lights were aimed toward the beach earlier this week.
Haverfield said more than 50 baby turtles died because of those lights.
A nest near the home had 112 eggs. Of those, 82 hatched and 62 turtles emerged from the nest. Haverfield rescued 17 that were still in the nest and three that she found crawling on Hickory Boulevard. She found four crushed on the road and believes 58 were eaten by birds or died of exhaustion.
Haverfield said all the turtle tracks led up the beach away from the water, indicating no turtles actually headed toward the Gulf.
"We work tirelessly to help the turtles and someone just flips a switch and kills them," Haverfield said. "We just need to work together to make things better."
Amanda Bryant, turtle coordinator for the Sanibel/Captiva Conservation Foundation, said "that just doesn't happen here. It makes me very frustrated to hear that it's happening in Bonita because it is not impossible for that to happen here. We've been pretty lucky, and we are thankful for that."
Bryant said Sanibel strictly enforces the light ordinance, and fewer people living on the beach during the summer than in winter helps.
In Collier County, turtles from three nests became disoriented when construction crews accidentally left on lights.
"People have been very, very good with their compliance with lights this year," said Maura Kraus, turtle coordinator for Collier County.
Haverfield said the woman in the home with the two lights was visiting from Maryland, and told Haverfield she didn't know about the lights-out law.
Erik Prescott, an agent with Fun in the Sun rentals in Bonita, said all renters are given a pamphlet and postcard with the turtle ordinance, and the rules are posted in each rental. But after the incidents this week, Prescott said his company is stepping up efforts.
"In our rental contracts, we will add to it the regulations and the ordinance for the turtles, and there is going to be another place they have to sign to show they read it," Prescott said. "We want to do all we can to make our renters responsible, but a fine won't bring the turtles back."
Additional Facts
LIGHT VIOLATIONS
Violators of Bonita Springs' turtle ordinance face a fine as high as $500. In addition, violating the Endangered Species Act can result in a fine of as much as $100 per turtle egg if the turtles are harmed by the lights. But this second fine can be levied only if it is proven the person knew the law and intentionally left the lights on.
"You would have to prove they knowingly harmed the marine turtles," said Audrey Vance, Bonita city attorney. Taking or harassing turtles is a third-degree felony, she said.
Bonita Springs residents are given several chances to observe the lights-out ordinance before they are fined.
When environmental specialist Mike Kirby sees a violation, he first attempts to speak with the resident. If they are not home, he leaves a note along with the turtle rules and his business card. He follows up with a meeting in person.
If the problem continues, Kirby sends the resident a certified letter of violation through code enforcement. The final step is a notice of hearing summoning the violator to appear before a hearing examiner. That would likely end in a fine.
Kirby explained that the biggest problem on Bonita Beach is the rental units that have different people in them each week.
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