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Marine Turtle Newsletter 7:5, © 1978

Marine Turtle Newsletter-Online

Green Turtle Ranch Pilot Project Matapica, Suriname

H.A. Reichert
STINASU, P.O. Box 436, Parimaribo, Suriname

On 12 August, 1977 facilities went into operation at the Matapica Field Station of the Surinam Forest Service to raise newly-hatched green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) in captivity. This pilot project is under the supervision of the Foundation for Nature Preservation in Suriname (STINASU), and is financed from the private funds of the Drs. Mittag, major stockholders in the Cayman Turtle Farm, Ltd.

Purpose of the project is to study the feasibility of raising green sea turtles to maturity, and to see if a captive breeding population can be maintained. The project was started with 5000 hatchlings from eggs collected on Surinam beaches. Even though the study will be with Chelonia mydas, it is expected that some of what is being learned might benefit the conservation of other Cheloniidae.

Specific goals of the project are:

  1. Annually release turtles to the sea at an age when natural mortality is significantly less than that of hatchlings.
  2. Mark and release individuals to study initial travel routes of 1-3 year olds, something about which little is known yet.
  3. Study means to reduce, or even eliminate, the fossil fuel subsidiary energy presently used to power the system's pumps.
  4. Investigate the use of alternate turtle food resources, emphasizing the search for food which is less desirable for direct human use.
  5. Use facilities, and experience gained from raising Chelonia mydas, to raise hatchlings of other, more endangered, sea turtle species-specifically Lepidochelys olivacea.
  6. Improve techniques for artificial hatching of sea turtle eggs of all species nesting in Suriname.
  7. Investigate the feasibility of a commercial turtle farm in Suriname.
  8. Provide access to facilities and data to interested scientists.

With references to item d) we kindly request anyone who has data on the analysis of the composition of turtle grass (Thalassia spp.) to send these to: Dr. J.P. Schulz, STINASU, P.O. Box 436, Paramaribo, Suriname.

"Sea turtles nesting in Suriname", by J.P. Schulz, 1976. There are only about 100 copies left of this publication, which contains data collected over the previous 12 years on what probably are the most important nesting beaches in the entire Caribbean region. For those interested in a copy, please send your name, address, and US $15. in currency to: STINASU, P.O. Box 436, Parimaribo, Suriname.