Grant: 20-027C
Project Title: Accurate GPS Unit for Locating Sea Turtle Nests and Conducting Conservation Research
Project Manager: Andrew Glinsky
Organization: Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation (Non-Profit Organization)
Grant Amount: $6,595.00
Completion Date: 2020-10-19
Summary: Following hurricanes and tropical storms, many sea turtle nests are subjected to inundation, wash outs, and accretion. Once the storms have subsided, it is imperative that any nests remaining on the beach be found as quickly and efficiently as possible. Nests subjected to these violent storms often lose the stakes and screens marking their location. When these nests have been previously marked with GPS units only accurate to within meters, confirming whether or not eggs remain on the beach is highly imprecise. It is crucial that all nests can be accounted for following storms, especially those which have lost their markings. Unmarked nests are vulnerable to damage from beach driving, placement of beach furniture by beachgoers (i.e. umbrellas driven down into the sand), and predators. Additionally, as we see an increase in nest losses attributed to storm events and sea level rise, having reliable washout rates can help quantify this threat to sea turtles and better inform management decisions. The Trimble TDC150 decimeter edition has the ability to record the location of nests within inches, allowing for much stronger confirmation on the status of washed out and washed over nests. Remaining nests could then be re-marked and monitored appropriately throughout the rest of incubation. This GPS unit would allow authorized personnel to monitor all nests across an Index Nesting Beach and Statewide Nesting Beach to provide spatial and temporal continuity in a standardized, long-term dataset and ensure accurate, effective monitoring efforts.
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