Threats to Sea Turtles

 COAST OF BANGLADESH 

SEA TURTLE NESTING BEACH AT SOUTHEAST COAST OF BANGLADESH

DHOLGHATA: It’s located at the north area of the Upazila Moheskhali with habitat formations of mudflats, and sandy beach. There are several canals and inlets influence the habitat of the area. The area is a largely converted from the previous mangrove forest for the Shrimp farming.  The nesting beach is called Haser char was 7 kms long in 2017-18 as beach lenth increased by continuous sand deposition. very good single landmark nesting site and need to be protected.

LALDIAR CHAR: Located south of Haser Char (Dhalghata), 4.5 kms long fragmented beach, studied only recently 2013-16. And very suitable isolated beach free from hazards, but beach seine fishing is a problem where fishermen try to collect for selling. Currently under monitoring by MLA sea turtle program. 

Kaladiar Char: 

SONADIA ISLAND: Located in N21.32184 E91.50285 to N21 .28066 E91.55186, 3.5 kms northwest of Cox’s Bazar long beach. Seasonally changing beach stretch currently 14 kms long, boulder free with a sandy intertidal zone of 50-150 meters throughout its entire length. It is a part of nearshore big Island Moheskhali and separated by small mangrove canal Majherdhar. Sonadia has got unique seascape and landscape value characterized by high sand dunes throughout the whole western side what have been destroyed during last several years by tidal surge in monsoon. Vegetated with Vitex, Ipomea, Panicum and mangrove have over 27 species of flora. Sand flat habitat and pristine beaches serves one of the last remaining wintering grounds for gulls and terns. The area has a moist tropical maritime climate. The Island is in relatively pristine until now. , but government and local administration trying to develop tourism zone. Sonadia has suffered less development and tourism activity. As a result, beach is very suitable for sea turtle nesting. The shore also supports large numbers of shorebirds, mollusks and echinoderms. There are about 2500 people living in the island in 3 villages. The island and mangrove habitat is paradise for marine invertebrates and wintering birds. Sonadia formed from sandbars and size is about 1950 hectors depending on the tidal level. The extremely low altitude of the Island in particular is subject to flooding during tidal surges, and vulnerable to sea level rises.

TEKNAF PENINSULA (SAHPORIRDWIP TO NAJIRARTEK)

This is about 100 kms long (Najirartek at north to Badar Mokam south at Shahporirdwip) sandy beach with boulder habitat in intertidal zone at some points. At the east of the beach and plain cultivated land up to Cox’s Bazar hilly forested area of semi evergreen type extends from Cox’s Bazar to Teknaf, although most of the forest area are degraded during the last decades severe deforestation. During the last 10 years beach front lands already been sold to resort developers, thus new threats are coming in future along the entire coast. Most of the southern part of the beach is full of fishing activity as well as gulls and terns also roost in many thousands. A large number of people living along this coast and around 600 boats are landed here in 22 deferent areas. Currently the tourism area increasing, but still there are large areas suitable for turtle nesting and wintering birds roosting. A number of village growth centers along the coast are in place. The average width of the peninsular beach is 100-150m, and up to 400-500 m wide in some places. The sandy beaches are fringed with shore vegetation dominated by Ipomea. In addition, Nishinda (Vitex sp.) is present at Inani beach and few Screw Pine (Pandanus) jungles has been recorded along beaches. The entire area is of the coastal strip at the east is subtropical moist semi evergreen forested also much of this is degraded due to severe deforestation during the last 3 decades. More than 300 olive ridley nests recorded seasonally 2013-16 and some spots are very important with higher nesting frequencies.  23 spots have been reported for olive ridley nesting.

ST. MARTIN ISLAND:  Located at 20°36'N; 92°20'E. small offshore island with 590 hectors land area situated far south at 12 kilometers from the Bangladesh main land southern mark Bodor Mokam (Shahporirdwip). The island is fringed with numerous sedimentary rocks in sub-tidal zone. This is coral habitat with sandy and rocky intertidal zone. Habitat was very rich in marine biodiversity and a truly marine habitat with large areas of sand dune at west and scattered mangroves at south. It is the only island in Bangladesh that has coral habitat. Three vegetated islands south of the island, locally known as the Cheradia are connected with the main island by a narrow sand belt, fringed with boulders. Thus the total circumference of St. Martin's is about 16 km, of which 14% or about 2 km is suitable for nesting. Nesting is frequently interrupted by rocks and seawalls and female turtles often make several attempts before successfully laying eggs. Most nesting sites are at the western coast, while the northern nesting sites are threatened by dogs and local people, being closer to the main business center and fish processing zone of St. Martin's. In comparison, the beaches of the Cheradia islands had characteristics more suited to turtle nesting, with higher slopes and wide sandy areas above the high tide mark even during high tides. Most significantly, the beaches were almost free from disturbance by domestic dogs (Islam, 2002). In the last 15 years the island Screw pine vegetation area severely degraded due to tourism development. Mass tourism, relative disturbances and lighting, marine habitat degradation resulted in declination of 70 % after 2000.