Nature Foundation relocated a green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) nest of 150 eggs from Great Bay Beach to a more secure location in Simpson Bay on Friday due to the high human impact on the Philipsburg beach. Previously, nests were relocated to Guana Bay, but the high volume of sargassum seaweed prevented relocating there in this instance.
The Foundation has received specialised training in sea turtle conservation, including relocating turtle nests that are in danger due to human activities or natural events such as storm surge. Based on Articles 16 and 17 of the Nature Conservation Ordinance St. Maarten, it is illegal to kill, wound, capture, pick up or have animals that belong to a protected animal species, to directly or indirectly disturb their environment resulting in a physical threat or damage to the fauna, or to commit other acts that result in disturbance of the animal. The Foundation has been conducting sea turtle conservation in St. Maarten since 1997.
