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Marine Turtle Newsletter 26:2, © 1983

Turtle Flotilla in Galleon Harbour, Jamaica

Patrick Fairbairn
NRCD, P.O. Box 305, Kingston 10, Jamaica

Once a month for a year the Natural Resources Conservation Department (NRCD) of Jamaica conducted aerial surveys of the island's entire coastline, primarily to help determine the distribution and abundance of the West Indian Manatee. A record of sea turtle sightings was also compiled.

To the general pattern of widely scattered individual turtles occurring at favoured spots along the coast with little change in seasonal abundance, there was one exception. On 4th March 1982, at 10:15 h, over 200 uniformly small, round-shelled, greyish-white to light green turtles were observed in Galleon Harbour, St. Catherine, a shallow (2-5 m) bay just west of the Hellshire Hills and immediately north of the Goat Islands. They mostly remained at or near the surface, despite several fairly close passes by the plane.

At 14:30 h, Galleon Harbour was checked again and not a single turtle was observed. At 14:30 h the following day, again no turtles were observed there. On 31st March 1982 at 9:15 h more than 200 turtles of the same kind were seen at or near the surface in Galleon Harbour. No return flight over the area was made that day. On the following day, however, about 25 were observed on a flyover made at 13:30 h. Despite a three-hour search by boat on 6th April 1982 no turtles were seen, nor were fishermen who were questioned at nearby Old Harbour Bay aware of any unusual species or numbers. Four weeks later, no turtles were seen in Galleon Harbour in two separate flyovers. Again, there were no sightings during two more flyovers made 14th June 1982.

Galleon Harbour is completely lined with mangroves. Approximately 25 km² in area, it is enclosed by land except for two broad channels to the southeast and northwest. The bottom is well supplied with plant food attractive to manatees. The turtles occupied a large portion of the total area, spaced quite evenly over its surface. Their periodic mass appearance and disappearance suggest considerable synchronization of behaviour. In shape and colour they appeared unlike all other turtles observed during the preceding year. These were the only turtles ever sighted in Galleon Harbour. Their appearance from the air most nearly fits descriptions that have been given for the Atlantic ridley. The NRCD would appreciate hearing from anyone who may be able to offer an interpretation. Subsequent aerial surveys by NRCD have produced no further records of this kind.