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Puerto Rico

The current weather in Culebra

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Closed Beaches - Turtle Hatching Season
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Joel Maners (66.78.150.---)
Date:   03-10-05 00:11

I recently read in Lonely Planet's guidebook that some beaches can be closed between May and July while the turtles are hatching. I haven't read this anywhere on the forum. Are the beaches closed at any time during the year?

Joel

Joel Maners
Jackson, Tennesse

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Re: Closed Beaches - Turtle Hatching Season
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Teresa (66.50.189.---)
Date:   03-10-05 04:14

Beaches are open to the public year round during the day everywhere except closed sites on Flamenco Peninsula and offshore cays. But we ask that people avoid Brava and Resaca during June-August if possible. If you do go down there please walk as much as possible below the high tide line because the deep footprints left in sand there can entrap hatchlings which die from the sun and heat exposure. Also those same months please stay below the high tide line as much as possible in front of marked nest sites on Zoni beach. Brava, Zoni, and Resaca are closed at night March through November because of leatherback and hawksbill turtle nesting. Thanks for asking.

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Re: Closed Beaches - Turtle Hatching Season
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Doug (---.dsl.stlsmo.swbell.net)
Date:   03-10-05 11:32

Teresa,

How are the nests marked?

Doug

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Re: Closed Beaches - Turtle Hatching Season
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Teresa (66.50.189.---)
Date:   03-11-05 05:38

PRDNR has plans to have nest sites on Zoni and Flamenco in heavy use areas surrounded with stakes and a rope with a sign on each one indicating that is a nest site and to please avoid it. A larger sign at the beach entrance will be posted to tell people what it is all about before they go onto the beach. There are so many people using Zoni and Flamenco beaches it has become necessary to do so; hopefully people won't sit on them, put umbrella poles in them, cover them with picnic blankets or towels, etc, all of which can destroy nest contents or reduce hatching success. Also to avoid walking on soft sand in front of them during their hatching time will greatly help in reducing the chance of hatchlings getting stuck in footprints and not being able to get out. We have seen both hawksbill and leatherback hatchlings dead in footprints of people, horses, and cattle. When hatching days are in effect, the appropriate approach will be implemented to reduce the chance of people going up to them out of curiosity and leaving footprints all over the place. With volunteer help (local kids and Sierra Club) we put a simple entry gate up at the entrance to Zoni; hopefully people will not destroy it and we can keep horses off the beach this year.

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Re: Closed Beaches - Turtle Hatching Season
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Joel Maners (---.wan.networktel.net)
Date:   03-11-05 09:22

Sounds like it wouldn't be a bad idea to bring a sand rake like they use in golf course bunkers.

;-)

Thanks for the info!

Joel

Joel Maners
Jackson, Tennesse

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