Discover Trinidad & Tobago 2016 — 25th Anniversary Edition

Turtle-watching
From March to September, Trinidad takes on a very important role: the second largest leatherback
turtle nesting site in the world is at Grande Rivière. Leatherbacks are the largest surviving
turtle species in the world. Hawksbill, green, and other turtle species, all of which (and
their eggs) are legally protected, also come up on the north and east coasts.
During nesting months, females heave themselves on to the shore, laboriously digging their
nests in the sand before laying, then covering the eggs over and returning to the sea. Two
months later, the eggs hatch, and the baby turtles dig themselves out of their nests and hustle
— awkwardly and adorably — to the open sea. Few survive the predators and make it to
maturity, but those females that do then return
to the beaches on which they were
born to begin the cycle anew.
Turtle watching essentials
Access to these nesting beaches, particularly
Grande Rivière and Matura,
Do not touch or disturb nesting turtles
or hatchlings in any way. Give them is restricted to prevent poaching and
ample space
to allow the turtles to nest and young
Lights (including flash photography), hatchlings to emerge undisturbed. They
noise and activity tend to disorient already have to contend with fishing
both turtles and hatchlings
nets, sargassum, plastics, natural predators,
and disconcerting man-made
Do not drive on nesting beaches; the
weight of the vehicle can crush eggs light (they follow the light of the moon).
buried in the sand
Tour operators (and some hotels) can
The Turtle Village Trust is an umbrella
body for the islands’ leading turtle cess. Turtles are said to come ashore in
arrange necessary permits and ac-
conservation groups — Nature Seekers;
the Grande Rivière Nature Tour ing the full moon, though there are in-
greatest numbers late at night and dur-
Guide Association; the Matura to stances of nesting during daylight hours.
Matelot (M2M) Network; the Fishing
Pond Turtle Conservation Group; and
SOS Tobago. turtlevillagetrust.org, 638-
5953/674-4213 A giant leatherback turtle nesting.
Photo by Stephen Broadbridge
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