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Seven reports in 2017 stated that sea turtles were beached or in distress, of which four of the turtles were dead. Five of these problems were noted outside of the Réserve Naturelle. The collision with a motorboat represents the first cause of death for these reptiles that are protected in Saint Martin; the second cause of death was due to fibropapillomatosis, a herpes virus first seen in the waters of Tahiti, which now impacts sea turtles all over the world. The occurrence of this disease, normally not transmissible to humans, underlines the importance of not touching the turtles, primarily to avoid passing the disease from one individual to another. Two other turtles were almost the victims of poachers but were freed and put back in the water thanks to the quick thinking of witnesses. Please note: the accidental capture in nets set for conch is the primary cause of mortality for sea turtles in Guadeloupe and in Martinique.
Seven Turtles Beached Or In Distress
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Retour à la mer pour cette tortue après sa libération - Return to the sea and freedom for this turtle
