![florida powe and light logger head florida powe and light logger head](https://www.endlessdistances.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/sea-turtle-walks-in-florida-2.jpg)
People are most knowledgeable about the following issues: The type of harm caused by various types of fishing gear (Entanglement in monofilament fishing line or ingestion of a plastic lure are even more harmful than a fishing hook in a turtle's flipper.)
![florida powe and light logger head florida powe and light logger head](https://www.nps.gov/drto/planyourvisit/images/Loggerhead-Dinghy-Beach.jpg)
This can result in death if hatchlings become entrained in the ruts and use too much energy crawling in the wrong direction.) The harm caused to sea turtles by driving vehicles on beaches (Ruts in the sand created by vehicles driven on beaches can disorient hatchlings moving from their nest to the sea. People are slightly more informed about the following concepts: The ways boating activities can harm sea turtle foraging areas (Driving motorboats with propellers in shallow water can gouge seagrass beds and create trenches in seagrass meadows, causing long-term harm to turtle foraging grounds.) Which types of light bulbs cause the least harm to sea turtles (Sea turtles are least likely to be disoriented by lights with long wavelengths: these are bulbs that emit light that appears red or amber in color.) The negative effects of seawalls on sea turtles (Seawalls are harmful to turtles because they prevent adult females from crawling onto beaches to nest, and they disrupt the natural sand erosion and accretion cycles that renew beaches required for nesting.) The general public in coastal counties of north Florida generally have slightly better understanding of how human behavior affects sea turtles than they do of basic turtle biology. Public Knowledge of Human Impacts to Sea Turtles The number of sea turtle species in Florida (Five turtle species can be found nesting in Florida.) The location of sea turtle foraging grounds (Many turtles forage in seagrass beds.) People are most knowledgeable about the following topics: Where on the beach sea turtles nest (Nesting can occur anywhere from the water's edge to the dunes.) Sea turtle lifespans (The average sea turtle lifespan is over 60 years.) People are slightly more informed about the following ecological concepts: What items are important food sources for the most common sea turtle species in Florida (Shellfish and other hard-shelled benthic invertebrates such as horseshoe crabs, whelks, and urchins are essential for loggerheads and Kemp's ridley turtles vegetation such as sea grass is eaten by greens and jellyfish are eaten by leatherbacks.) Where loggerhead sea turtles spend the early stage of their lives (These turtles spend several years drifting passively in the open ocean before they move into coastal waters and estuaries.) How much stored energy newly hatched sea turtles have (Upon emerging from their nest, hatchlings have enough energy to crawl to the water and swim for up to 15 days in the Gulf of Mexico.) The role of dunes in influencing sea turtle behavior (Dunes or other tall objects that block onshore artificial lights prompt turtles to crawl away from the darkness inland and towards the lighter horizon over the open ocean.)
![florida powe and light logger head florida powe and light logger head](https://i1.rgstatic.net/publication/348414808_Sea_turtles_in_the_Mediterranean_Region_MTSG_Regional_Report_Mediterranean_2020_Author_of_Chapter_Bosnia_and_Herzegovina/links/5ffd9d8c299bf140888ce63f/largepreview.png)
The topics people know the least about are: The general public in coastal counties of north Florida generally has limited understanding of basic ecological concepts regarding sea turtles. Topics to Address in Sea Turtle Environmental Education Programs Public Knowledge of Basic Ecology of Sea Turtles The results of this survey provided insight into which topics could be addressed during environmental education efforts on sea turtles and specific messages most important for sea turtle conservation efforts. A recent survey in four coastal counties in northwest Florida (Walton, Bay, Gulf, and Franklin Counties) assessed people's understanding of sea turtles and their habitat needs, evaluated their understanding of how humans impact sea turtles, and asked how often they engage in behaviors helpful or harmful to sea turtles. Sea turtles, such as this loggerhead (left) and green (right), are vulnerable to human disturbance when they come ashore to nest on beaches.Ĭredit: Jessica Swindall (left), Margaret Lamont (right).Įnvironmental education strategies are most effective when educators have a thorough understanding of what topics are frequently misunderstood, along with awareness of what helpful or harmful activities are commonly occurring.