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P.N.W Sea Turtle Monitoring and Awareness Program There are Sea Turtles in Oregon! In 2006 STF started this program to educate Oregonians about their
critically endangered Leatherback sea turtles that swim off the Oregon coast during the summer months. Very few people are
aware that there are sea turtles in our northern waters. With this program we educate in schools and to the public about the
turtles history, biology, threats and ways to help protect these giants from extinction. We have tapped into the Seaside Aquarium
stranding network and have been informed of all marine turtle stranding in Oregon for the last three years. We had a male
adult Loggerhead strand itself on Christmas day 2007 while we were in the field in Costa Rica --- but got word of it the next
day. The turtle was froze for necropsy in the spring. Although a necropsy on a frozen turtle has some complications Marc was
asked to assist in the necropsy and determined the turtle died of thermal shock but was otherwise healthy and well fed. The
next most recent sighting was October 2008, an hour south of our headquarters
in Seaside. A member of North Coast Wildlife Refugee group called our headquarters on her cell phone and reported a large
turtle on the beach at Sand Lake. She told me the turtle had been there for a couple of hours and was still alive. Before
we could get there we were called back and informed the turtle returned to the ocean. The volunteer took a photo of the turtle
and it was determined to be a Chelonia Mydas, aka Green Turtle, which are the main subjects of our research in Costa Rica.
Now it is known there are Chelonia Mydas foraging in Oregon, in addition to Loggerheads, Leatherbacks, and Olive Ridleys from
previous stranding. With the combined networking of several organizations we are able to track these events now and form a
database to carry on with into the future. Below is a photograph of the Chelonia Mydas -- looking very cold -- at Sand Lake,
warming herself in the sun before attempting to catch the EIC current again and head south.
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Map of sea turtle sighting reported to Sea Turtles Forever over past 4 years with sighting dates from 1974-2009.
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October 2008, Sand lake Oregon, Chelonia
Mydas warming up on the beach for a couple of hours before returning to the sea for the long swim back to ( most likely) Mexico.
She sat here for between one and two hours on the high tide-line.
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Marc demonstrating the limb span of a Leatherback for the St. Helens elementary school
classes. Educational seminars are important when at this time only a small percentage of Oregonians know even the basics about
marine turtle biology and conservation.
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OREGON LEATHERBACK SIGHTING! August
5th 2009, 6 miles due west of Newport,Oregon. Turtle was in 42 fathoms and water was 56 degrees. Below is the report from
the NW Leatherback hotline. "Attn. Marc Ward, I
was reading the ODFW marine fishing report and came across a request for information about sightings of sea turtles. On
August 5th while fishing for coho we came across a large animal floating on the surface. After the inital suprise or shock
we realized in was a turtle. The animal stuck its head up and looked at us and then went on about its busness. We were traveling
a couse due west of the mouth of the Yaquina River bar in 253 feet of water. The temp. reading on my instruments was
56.1 degrees. We passed it about 25 to 30 feet away but I would estimate it was over eight feet long and over four
feet across its back. It did have raised ridges on its back so my quess would be it was a leatherback turtle. First
time I have came across such an animal in many years of fishing off the Oregon Coast."
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