This weekend before heading to the beach we visited a Nature Park that also houses a sea turtle hospital. We got to see one of the largest lobsters ever. His name is Butter. The students at Florida Atlantic University who are studying marine biology care for him as well as some electric sting rays, and the cutest baby sea turtle hatchlings! We visited the rehab center where the juvenile green sea turtles are infected with a virus where the turtles develop tumors (or growths) on various areas of their body. They use a very expensive laser to removed them. The turtles then recover and are released when they are given a clean bill of health. The researchers at the center suspect that mercury run-off and other pollution may contribute to these tumors growing.
After leaving the nature park we went to the near-by state park and beach called Red Reef. It is a jewel of a spot. The beach was quiet and not too crowded. The water was bath water clear, calm, and shallow enough for even Lou to enjoy. Red Reef is home to just that...a coral reef. Some of the reef is in the shallows and accessible off the shore. The reef is home to fish, live coral of red, orange, and green, tons of sea snails and crabs of all sizes! Further into the ocean the reef extends and even more creatures can be seen. One woman and her daughter even tried coaxing an eel out of the shadows of the reef! We found some shells to add to our growing collection as well.
An ever-present reminder of the sea turtles are the nests which are marked off all around the beach and shore. The nests hold precious sea turtle eggs that are getting ready to hatch the babies that will make their way to the ocean from the end of July until mid-September. We are hoping to catch a glimpse of the hatchlings in the near future!
No comments:
Post a Comment