Turtles head back to 'newly renovated home'

Nearly two dozen turtle hatchlings will be returned Thursday to the Louisiana barrier island where their eggs were found.

The 21 diamondback terrapin eggs, a species the state offers limited protection because of concerns its numbers are declining, were found last July on Chenier Ronquille, about eight miles northeast of Grand Isle.

Scientists came across them while working on a project to repair damage to the island from the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

“Louisiana’s barrier islands and headlands are the first line of defense during storms — reducing the effects of wind, waves and flooding on coastal marshes,” Mel Landry, a NOAA fisheries expert who worked on the restoration project, said in a news release. “They also provide habitat for fish, turtles, birds and other wildlife but have been impacted by storms and oil spills like Deepwater Horizon.

"We’re happy to highlight this important effort, restoring habitat that helps protect coastal communities in Louisiana and returning these terrapins to their newly renovated home.”

Participating in the turtle release will be the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, the state's Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority and citizen volunteers. 

Named for the patterns on their shells, diamondbacks thrive in brackish and salt water along the U.S. Gulf and East coasts, including Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes.

Environmentalists have for years asked the state to outlaw commercial trapping and sale of wild diamondback terrapin, along with about 20 other turtle species, concerned that thousands are being shipped to Asia, where they are prized as food, medicinal ingredients and pets.

The Center for Biological Diversity, among groups that have sought the ban, said last October that more than 16 million turtles had been exported from Louisiana over the past five years.

“Turtles are a precious part of Louisiana’s rich wildlife heritage, so it’s disappointing to see state officials turning a blind eye to this problem,” Elise Bennett, a staff attorney at the center said in a news release after the state rejected its petition in January. “Because of turtles’ unique life histories, it could be decades before populations reflect the irreversible damage caused by unrestrained harvest. At that point it could be too late.”

In a letter, then-Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Charlie Melancon questioned the group's 16 million figure, saying 97 percent of the turtles were raised on farms rather than captured in the wild.

"Most Louisiana turtle species are not provided harvest limits because the demand is far below the supply," Melancon wrote. "At a point a which the demand for a particular species reduces the management buffer toward supply, our department acts in favor of the species."

The state has made catching diamondbacks off limits during nesting season, April 15 to June 15. Among other restrictions, diamondbacks must be at least six inches long to harvest and no nets or traps can be used.

Scientists say the species is also pressured by the persistent erosion of Louisiana's coastal wetlands and barrier islands like Chenier Ronquille.

After NOAA reported finding the eggs last year, Keri Landry, a Wildlife and Fisheries biologist, traveled to the island to collect them. 

“We didn’t have the manpower or the setup at LDWF to incubate and raise the terrapin eggs,’’ Landry said.

She contacted Dave and Karen Milliken, who have assisted her with her work with gopher tortoises, a federal and state-protected species. The Millikens, nuisance animal control operators for Milliken Farms, incubated the eggs.

The Millikens turned over the eggs to Steven and Rachel Creech, owners of Adventure Pets. The turtles hatched in August and, under the Creeches' care, have grown large enough to return to the wild.

“Partnerships and cooperation between public agencies are crucial to successfully managing wildlife,’’ current Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Jack Montoucet said. “Having private citizens assist us is a prime example of how that cooperation can be extremely effective. Diamondback terrapins are one of our species of greatest conservation need. So having a chance return some to their natural environmental aids in making sure the population remains stable.’’