A unique opportunity to learn more about a sea turtle that could use some friends exists for the right yacht in the US Virgin Islands.
As research options go, a study that involves snorkeling the reefs of the US Virgin Islands doesn’t sound too bad. But if the perks of a project to tag and research endangered hawksbill sea turtles are pleasant, the science is also important — and the recipient of that work, the hawksbills, are in dire need of help.
Hawksbill sea turtles are considered critically endangered and are listed as endangered under the US Endangered Species Act. A lack of hawksbills also creates problems for coral reefs and other marine habitats. Now a top US sea turtle researcher is leading a team to study hawksbill populations in the Caribbean, where less about them is known.
Yachts for Science is looking for yachts that can be available for two to five days at some point in the May-to-October research window. The research, which will take place around the reefs and near-shore waters of St Thomas, St John and St Croix in the USVI, will involve snorkeling and scuba-diving surveys to identify underwater habitats for the turtle populations. Turtles will also be taken on board for tagging and sampling before being released again.
Larry Wood leads the project. The founder of the Florida Hawksbill Project and CEO of the National Save the Turtle Foundation has been studying and advocating for sea turtles for more than three decades. While much of his professional work has been in Florida, he also has substantial diving experience in St Croix.
“Our research is focused on the highly endangered hawksbill turtles of the Caribbean,” he says. “In the US Virgin Islands, very little is known about the distribution, abundance and population structure of these animals in that area.”
Because of their unique diet of sponges, hawksbills are also crucial to the overall health of coral reefs. Overabundant sponges can overwhelm and harm reefs.
The ideal vessel for the research is one that’s small enough to get into the reefs and coastal areas where hawksbills can be found. Another need is for a vessel with an open transom or other unobstructed area as well as deck space for turtles that have been hauled aboard for tagging and sampling procedures.
“The perfect owner for our project would be anybody who loves the ocean, loves sea turtles and sea turtle conservation and likes to get involved,” Wood says. “We love to dive, we love to snorkel, we bring the turtles on board so we invite crew, families, the owner to join us in the water or observe what we’re doing on the deck itself.”
Dockwalk regularly features research projects championed by Yachts for Science, a not-for-profit platform that pairs researchers with yacht owners and crew. Visit yachtsforscience.com to learn how your vessel can take part.