Experts share updates on local sea turtle research
Flagler Beach residents BJ Cowart and John Klapp love sea turtles. Over the past few years, they have adopted turtle nests near their home, even trying to name the critters as they emerge from their havens in the sand and head to the ocean.
So when it was announced that the Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience's final lecture for the spring series would be about sea turtles, the pair knew they had to come.
Decked out in sea turtle T-shirts, they settled into their seats in the Lohman Auditorium to listen to Sea Turtle Hospital program coordinator Catherine Eastman, veterinary hospital manager Rachel Thomas, and Dr. David Duffy provide the latest information on research taking place at the facility — and how the hospital is helping rehabilitate and release sea turtles.
“We’re fascinated with the turtles and the nesting, so we just want to learn everything we can about them,” said Cowart. “I think it’s because they’re so unique and they’re private, calm, and easy going."
World Sea Turtle Day is recognized June 16 at the Univesity of Florida research facility in honor of Dr. Archie Carr, awarded the university’s first doctorate in zoology in 1937. He is considered a pioneer of conservation and a naturalist, according to Eastman, who spoke about the inspiration Carr provided to generations of researchers.
“This is kind of a tip of the hat to Dr. Carr, whose entire career was spent at UF, teaching,” said Eastman. “He’s the father of sea turtle biology and pretty much a pioneer in conservation biology, so he kind of paved the way before the turtles were protected under the Endangered Species Act. He’s an inspiration to all of us."
Opened in 2015, the Sea Turtle Hospital has treated 699 sea turtles in fewer than three years, dealing often with injuries caused by marine debris and an illness that is sweeping the sea turtle population on a global scale, fibropapillomatosis or FP, which causes debilitating tumors. Research has allowed staff to investigate the causes of FP and continue seeking ways to develop cures for the disease, which mimics basal cell carcinoma in humans.
“We’re trying to figure out what’s causing the tumors to grow on these turtles,” said Duffy. “There’s a viral agent involved. It’s been quite challenging but we are starting to make progress. We’ve started to use techniques from human medicine to try to identify what’s going on and causing this and we’re finding there are a lot of similarities between the tumors the turtles are getting and tumors people get. It’s the same genetic drivers."
The lecture series is scheduled to resume Sep. 13 with “Sharks and Rays on the Brink” at 7 p.m.