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Notations concerning
Tortuga Observations 05 to 11 August 1999
AKUMAL BAY, QUINTANN ROO, MEXICO

05 August 1999
3:30 P.M. - 4:15 P. M.
Between the moored Catamaran and the white buoy marking the submerged cannons on the reef. Depth 8 to 12 feet. (This was the area in 1998 where most of the turtles were observed.) Observed a juvenile green sea turtle approximately 16 to 18 inches in straight carapace length. No distinguishing markings on scutes, no tag, no chipped marginal scute (outer shell).

This turtle observed me from approximately 12 feet below the surface as it was grazing on wide turtle grass (thalassia testudinum). It immediately stopped feeding, rose about 6 feet, and moved about 20 feet from the observer's position. Its movement was curved (arched) and, as it was followed, it quickened its pace completing a large circle. It was still visible, and, as it was slowly approached, it started a second larger curved movement away and disappeared. (This circular movement pattern was noted in 1998 and 1997 during turtle observations. )

06 August
10: 00 A.M.. - 10:40 A. M.
South east of the Hotel Caribe volleyball net, approximately 100 yards from shore.
Depth 8 feet at the sandy edge of a wide turtle grass meadow.
Observed juvenile Green Turtle, approximately 24 inches straight carapace length with an inverted cone shape marking on scute L3; tag in place but inscription not visible.

Two Remora were attached on the right side of the carapace, one almost as long as the curve of the carapace. This turtle seemed to be aware of the observer and allowed him to slowly move directly above as it continued to graze. The underwater whine of a power boat reached the position, and as soon as the sound was audible the turtle darted away in an acute clockwise arc toward the southwest. The turtle picked up speed as the boat moved closer toward shore; soon the turtle headed out to deep water and disappeared into dense grass.

2:00 P. M. - 4:00 P. M.
Snorkeling 150 yards and more southwest from the Hotel Caribe volley ball net.
In this location the water is cooler than closer to shore and there are more fish of size, 14 inches to 28 inches in length. Visible were such fish as, Blue Tang, Palometa, Lane Snapper, and Horse-eye Jack, as well as a beautiful tan fish with a shimmering plum colored line running on its dorsal side. Snorkeling from the white marker south of the Wind Surfing shop to the east in the direction of the Cannon House, there is a large section of sand without vegetation, covered with thousands of pieces of dead staghorn and branch coral. The broken pieces of coral lay exposed on the sand as if unearthed from a cemetery. The only movement in the area was the surge of the water.

Snorkeling back to the volleyball net from the cannon marker, on an angle, at approximately 30 feet from shore, in thick turtle grass, thousands of two inch and smaller silver, black striped fish (Sardines /Anchovies?) are visible. Here the water is warm and these small fish appear to conceal themselves in the grass and in the shadow of moored boats (See note 6).

07 August
9:30 A.M. - 10:15 A.M.
Approximately 150 yards southwest of the fence separating the Hotel Caribe from Hotel Ventura
A place where a wide turtle grass meadow adjoins a semi vegetated edge of an adjacent sandy area.
Observed three Green Turtles:
A. two large turtles about 30 inches straight carapace length both marked on scute L1 with an oblong shape; both tagged but markings not visible.
B. one, considerably smaller, 14 inches straight carapace length with a chipped outer shell near scute R3, just above the right hind leg. This would be marginal scutes 5 & 6 counting from the bottom.

The two large turtles each had two Remora on them. One Remora, on the smaller of these turtles, was almost the length of the entire carapace (see photographs '99 #3).
The small turtle was eating wide turtle grass by brushing aside the stalks on either side of the selected stalk. The turtle used its head and front flippers to clear the desired spot and then turn its head to the right side and bite off the stalk close to the root. (See photographs '99, #9, #12, and #18 for samples of the activity.) This turtle was nervous and eventually darted out to sea by first moving in a counterclockwise arc toward the southwest.
The two large turtles shared a grazing area of about 10 feet for approximately 15 minutes. The sharing of a grazing area was noted in 1997 and again in 1998. Photographs '98, #6, #12, and #13, show the turtles named Clonia and Echo moving about together during grazing. (see note # 7) Toward the end of this fifteen minute observation, the slightly smaller of the two, surfaced for air, and quickly moved away toward the cannon house. Note the photographs '99, #1,#2,#3,#4, for some of the characteristic behavior of the smaller of the two large turtles marked on scute L1.
The remaining large turtle used its front flippers and claws (which are dominant) to clean or dust the area in front of him. Once the area was cleared, the turtle selected thin round stalks of grass (syringodium filiforme). In each of the turtle's eating sequences, the turtle repeated the same actions and bit off the grass close to the root with a right headed side movement. Often when selecting thin grass the turtle would clear with flippers, poke its head into the grass, and clear again before biting with a right sided head movement. When chewing, the turtle would extend its head out and upward as if to assist in swallowing a particularly large clump of grass. The actual sound of the turtle biting the grass and chewing could be heard (see note #8).
This turtle was aware of the observer and approached twice from its right side blocking the tag. While coming up for air, this turtle ate three lumps of fist sized reddish/brown floating sargassum seaweed. When coming up for its fourth air intake, this turtle shifted grazing area to a grassy meadow closer to the bay channel. Its movement was curved and its location further east and south of where it had been grazing (See Photographs '99, #5, #6, #7).
This turtle was followed to its new grazing meadow; enroute the turtle turned its head toward the observer twice. It appeared that the turtle was aware of the observer's movements as it shifted location. When the turtle stopped to eat, the observer came to rest about 15 feet from its position. This observation was quickly terminated as off to the right, (east of the position) at about 30 feet further out from shore, a large predator was visible. (see note #9). This animal was holding its position perpendicular to the shore and in a direct right angle to the turtle and observer. A hastened departure occurred leaving turtle and predator.

The eating movements of these turtles are almost identical to those observed last year in the actions of Clonia (marked on scute L1 and tagged A16; See photographs '98, #4,#5,#6); Echo (marked on scute L2 and tagged BB004. See photographs '98, #7,#8,#9,#10,#11) & Ino (no marking but with a chip on the marginal scutes near scute L3. See photographs '98, #1,#2,#3).

The only additional movement observed this year was when the larger turtle used its clawed flippers to clear grass in combination with a head burying action. (See note #10.) These actions were repeated just prior to grass selection and eating. This particular simultaneous action of the head and flipper appears, with this large turtle, to be associated with its selection of thin grass.

3:40 P.M. - 4: 20 P.M.
Location between the moored Catamaran and the raft near the cannon marker
Depth approximately 12 feet.
Observed two turtles:
A. one 18 inches straight carapace length with no distinguishing marks. Its neck and flippers showed much yellow. Its bottom was bright yellow/white.
B. another 24 to 32 inches straight carapace length with a horizontal oval on scute L2. Two Remora on its back, one almost as long as the shell. This turtle is tagged, but the inscription was not visible.

The 18 inch turtle noticed the approach of the observer as it grazed. It approached the observer on the left side and stopped in front just out of reach. Once it inspected the observer, it descended to graze. It was eating in a semi - sandy area near a dense meadow of both kinds of grass. Using its clawed flippers, it cleared the space around the selected blade of grass of both kinds. At times this clearing action looked like a dusting off of the sand from the grass. This turtle moved its head to the left as it bit off the selected blades. Once it took several mouthfuls, it surfaced for air and moved onto another spot in the same area.

The larger of the two, marked on L2, (see photographs '99, #10, #11, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16 ) was closer to the Catamaran and its markings on scute L2 are similar to the one photographed in 1998 on Echo (BB004, see Photographs '98, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11, #14, #15, #16, #17), but not the same. Grazing at the edge of a sandy area, the turtle had its rear flippers and tail on the sand and its head and front flippers elevated on the grass. The eating movements were similar to those observed earlier. This turtle was skittish, quickly biting several blades of grass, and, then darting across the sandy area to feed in another location. Although it moved about while eating, the area covered appeared to form a curvilinear pattern. It too was aware of the observer, for it had turned its head toward him several times. This turtle only came up for air once during this observation and stayed submerged considerably longer than the smaller turtle feeding in the same area. (Estimated submerged time for this turtle was 20 minutes.) The turtle and observer held position about 6 feet apart during most of the observation until the turtle moved within arms distance, looked observer in the face and slowly moved off toward the southeast. As it was followed, it stopped, turned toward observer, and moved off again until it disappeared in the now murky water.

At this time of day, there was a considerable number of fish in the area surrounding the feeding turtles. The sky had became dark and cloudy toward the end of the observation. The fish would cross over the grassy meadow in number. Usually, in the light, a few fish were visible but as the sky and water became dark, there appeared more Grunts, Needle fish, Parrots, Jacks, and a number of smaller fish traveling over the sand and the meadows. The Grunts were first noticed because they do make an audible "grunting" sound.

08 August
4:15 - 5:00 P.M.
In a triangular area between the Catamaran, the raft and the white cannon marker.
Sky overcast, water dark and a little turbulent. At a water depth of 10 to 12 feet images became hazy.
Observed a Green turtle with a fan shaped mark on scute L2 similar to the marking on Clonia scute's L1 (See Photographs '98, #4).

The turtle was feeding at a depth of 6 feet in thick, wide bladed turtle grass directly below the observer. Two Remoras visible on the carapace. When the turtle surfaced for air, the Remoras would slide to the bottom of the shell and then to the top when the turtle dived to feed. This is the same Remora movement as observed on Clonia, A16, last year. The turtle's eating actions were similar to those already noted.
The sound of a high pitched whine underwater, an outboard motor, became audible and the turtle quickly moved into deep water via the central bay channel. The turtle's movement was circular, avoiding the approaching boat and moving in a "J" arc toward the catamaran, then the shore, the villas and then out to the deep channel.By this time in the evening (5:00 P.M.), visibility was at four to six feet distance. Grunts, Needle fish, a brown fish with a shimmering strip across its dorsal, a smooth Trunkfish, and many purple, red parrot fish were present. Snorkeling at this time without underwater illumination became difficult. At times, everything appeared green/gray or sandy and then suddenly in the haze a fish would be within inches of the face mask.

09 August 1999
8:00 A.M. - 9: 00 A.M.
First about 100 yards south of the Wind Surfing sign near the white reef marker and then covering a triangular pattern to the white cannon marker and back to shore near the volleyball net.
No turtles visible. Sky overcast, water visibility gray/green fair.
Sparse but quick fish activity, Grunts, Jacks, Needle Fish, etc. and in the center of the bay in the cool stream of water entering the bay near the channel, the very large predator held its place. A school of Yellow Goat fish passed behind me and then paralleled me on the shore side, my left, the large predator was on the right. The sensation of swimming between the position of the predator and the school of Goatfish was unpleasant.

1:30 P.M. - 2: 00 P.M.
Between the Catamaran and the raft many Parrot fish, Grunts, Jacks and close in to shore thousands of two inch silver, black stripped fish (Sardines?) hiding in the turtle grass.

West and south of this location, near the white marker opposite the Wind Surfing sign, several people in kayaks called out "turtle" sighting. By the time the observer arrived the turtles were gone. Visible near the reef were yellow fined Angel fish, Blue Damsels, Jacks, Spades and a small school of Yellow Goatfish.

3:35 - 4:30 P. M.
Area near the white buoy southwest of the Wind Surfing sign, water depth five to 12 feet.
Observed three Green Turtles:
A. one with a chip on its marginal scutes 5 & 6 from the bottom at scute R3; about 14 inches straight carapace length
B. a second with an oval mark on scute L2, with a tag # ending in 9; approximately 24 inches straight carapace length. See Photograph's '99, #14.
C. a third, much larger than the others, with an oval/oblong marking on scute L1; 36 inches straight carapace length. This turtle had mass.

The small turtle, nervous and skittish, was swimming in a circle around a sandy area surrounded by short growth turtle grass. (See photographs '99, #8, and #9).
The second, marked on L2, calm and curious, was eating short stubs of already grazed wide bladed turtle grass. (See photographs '99. #10, #11, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16).
The largest, marked on L1, kept its distance, and was eating new growth full length wide turtle grass near the edge of an adjacent sandy spot.

Although it was easier to observe L2, its tag markings were encrusted making them unreadable. In addition, the turtle positioned itself so its right side was visible rather than its left side with the tag.

The turtle marked on L2 was selecting wide blades of grass which had already been clipped to within an inch or two of the sand. It often chewed four to six blades of grass, lifted its head, extended its neck straight out, chewed and swallowed. The biting, breaking off or tearing of a blade of grass by the turtle is audible. (Note #8). The turtle continued this eating action in a curved movement pattern. When it would then surface for air, it would change its grazing position further along the arc on the edge of the grass and continue grazing.

All three turtles were disturbed by two "skin divers" who attempted to touch the turtles. The two smaller turtles quickly disappeared moving toward the east and the bay channel, leaving the large turtle (marked on L1) to gracefully move out of reach of the skin divers. It seemed this turtle would allow the divers to come within a certain distance and then quickly speed away, only to slow down and allow the divers to catch up, constantly drawing the divers further and further away from the other turtles and the initial grazing meadow. Turtle L1 was moving in a large counterclockwise arc and as I attempted to photograph this weighty turtle by moving on a tangent to the arc, one of the "skin divers" hit me in the head in a futile attempt to intercept the turtle. Within nano seconds the turtle was gone.

10 August 1999
3:50 P. M. - 4:55 P. M.
Approximately 120 yards southwest of the Wind Surfing sign about 20 yards west of the white buoy, toward shore.
Observed two turtles:
A. Chip on marginal scutes near R3. Approximately 14 inches straight carapace length. Depth 6 feet. This turtle has been observed before.
B. Very large with mark on L1. Approximately 36 or more inches in straight carapace length and 20 inches from bottom to top of shell. This turtle had more mass than the large turtle observed yesterday. Two Remora attached.

Turtle with Chip near R3 was feeding on selected blades of grass in an area approximately 30 feet in diameter. The turtle would swim at grass height, stick its head into the grass and either select a blade of round thin grass or reject it. Then R3 would move on to another area and repeat the action. (See photographs '99,#17). When the turtle selected between four and six mouthfuls of grass, it would then select a choice blade of wide grass. Rather than remain and graze, it would swim and eat using a side to side head movement in conjunction with its left front flipper. (See photographs '99. #18). The flipper and claw were used either to clear sand from the grass or assist in pushing the grass into the mouth. As noted before, this turtle needed to surface more frequently than the others observed, but, not necessarily for air. Its movement pattern was to head for the surface, almost break water, and dart down at an acute angle to its left. It would then quickly turn to the right, come to the surface for air and dart off further to its right. The entire maneuver appeared to be an evasive action.

Three times during this observation, R3 made a nose dive into the turtle grass as if it wanted to burrow into it for a specific item. Once the burrowing action was completed the turtle would remain in the grass partially concealed for a few moments and then continue its grass selection activity. Approximately 35 minutes into this routine the turtle started consuming selected blades of wide grass from several different locations in the same meadow.
During this entire observation the turtle was aware of the observer; four times swimming within arms' reach from different sides and once circling. No attempt to touch was made by turtle or observer.

Shouts from the southwest of "turtle" by four skin divers brought the very large turtle marked on L1 across the smaller turtle's feeding area going east at a steady fast pace. The turtle moved within inches of the observer's position and he followed. This was a large turtle with mass, girth and graceful movements. The turtle was long and its estimated height was more than 20 inches. One of the two Remora on the carapace shifted position and measured as long as the observer's arm . The arm measures thirty inches and the Remora did not cover the entire carapace. Once this L1 completed the movement across the smaller turtle's feeding space, it picked up speed and moved out to sea in the channel. (No photograph was taken of this massive turtle. The Photograph '99 #5 which shows a large turtle marked on scute L1 was small compared to this massive turtle).

When the massive turtle marked on L1 moved to deep water, the observer returned across the feeding area of R3. On the far side of the area the water temperature was cooler and the depth between 16 and 18 feet. In the cooler water, there were larger sized fish swimming about; Grunts, Grouper, Snapper, Spade, Blue Parrot and an assortment of yellow & black finned fish, purple & black finned fish, yellow stripped, gray with yellow fins, etc.

When the observer returned to the center of the 30 foot diameter feeding area, the smaller turtle with a chip on R3, was grazing. Its actions, however , were different from the grazing activities noted yesterday in L2's activities and of the turtles observed last year and the year before. (The selection of thin grass was noted but not over such a large feeding area.) The location of R3's feeding had a water depth of approximately six feet and the temperature was rather warm. (See note #11.)

At 3:50 P. M. underwater visibility at the observation location at a depth between 6 and 12 feet was between 20 and 30 feet. By 5:15 P. M. after the observation and while snorkeling closer into shore visibility was drastically reduced. The water became turbulent, sand was churning about. At a depth of 2 to 3 feet, visibility was only 4 to 6 feet and on the sandy shore in one foot or less, the visibility was only inches.

The location where the turtles were observed feeding today was where the cooler deep water mixed with the warmer shallower water. This area provided appropriate grazing areas for both the smaller and larger turtles. (See note #11).

11 August 1999
12:40 - 1: 30 P. M.
Between the Catamaran and the raft in 8 to 12 feet of water.

Observed a Green turtle approximately 14 inches straight carapace length.
No scute marking or chipped shell but with a brown dot on the bottom shell beneath R1.

The turtle was grazing and moving in a large arc around a semi sandy area selecting wide light green turtle grass. This animal bits off the blade of grass with a right sided head movement, and then chewed as it moved its head to left, right or center. Regardless of where the blade of grass was located this turtle favored biting with a right headed motion.
During the observation, the turtle surfaced three times within arms length. Its surfacing and air intake were carefully executed but not frantic or frightfully fast as noted in other turtles. Some surfacing was followed with a head dive into a specific mixed grass spot for a specific blade of thin grass which was chewed off at sand level.
In the observation area, the water was clear with visibility across the sandy area 30 feet or more. In the thick turtle grass, visibility was 10 to 15 feet. There was a cool current running through the observation area at this time and little fish activity. Observed were a few Needle fish, Grunts and a single Trunk fish. Closer in to shore the water became turbulent with sand particles, and over the grass hills ten feet from the beach visibility was less than one inch.

3:55 P.M. - 5: 00 P. M.
Shore side of the white buoy southwest of the Wind Surfing sign at a depth approximately 4 to 6 feet & 10 feet where the cool water meets the warmer bay water:
Observed R3 chipped shell 14 inches straight carapace length. (During the observation of R3 chipped shell, one of the larger turtles marked L1 was grazing further out from shore closer to the white marker approximately 30 feet from my position. Kayaks were circling it so I remained in my position to observe R3)
This afternoon R3 selected wide blade grass from a circular area near the periphery of a semi sandy depression. The location of this grazing meadow was at the edge of a clear sandy area toward the shore side of the reef marker. In its eating process today, R3 favored its left side by chewing off a selected blade on the left and moving its head to center and back to left as it chewed and ingested. At times, R3 uses its left flipper and its claw to assist in moving the grass into its mouth. This activity can be seen in Photographs '99 #18. Noted before, and during this grazing, was the fact that turtles used the fore flippers to clean the grass, and, in this situation, to used the left flipper claw to help break long blades of grass. It seemed that the turtle would use its claw to break off the grass after starting to chew the upper, newer growth, of grass.

R3 alternated eating tall blades of grass, which it would chew off at about one inch from the sand, with the new growth on two inch stubs of grass. In this grazing, R3 continuously returned to a center location, ate a few blades and then went off in a circular pattern again. Once it completed a circle of grazing, it returned to its center spot and started a different circular pattern. The turtle's movements from the center spot was as if it traveled along a radius to a point on the circle and then continued on the circumference until it finished its grazing. It would then return to center, travel along a different length radius and repeat the action. The movements were in no way a geometric circle but varied in shape; at times the pattern was elliptical, or oblong.

After surfacing for air, R3 would change its location on the circle but continue its grazing pattern. As noted before, R3 was hesitant to go directly to the surface for air. Instead it went up to just below the surface, rapidly dove off to its left side, and, then darted straight up for air and quickly dove off to the right of its previous location. It then swam just above grass height back to its position either in the center of the feeding circle or to a position on the circle. The entire action took under a minute to complete.

R3 was aware of the observer's presence having come close enough to touch more than a dozen times. The approach was always after a feeding sequence and prior to air intake. Twice while feeding, the turtle drifted directly beneath the observer and the hanging note pad touched its shell. At the touch the turtle darted two to four feet to the left and then gradually returned to its position.

Fish activity was noticeable with many Needle fish, Grunts, Jacks, Parrots, Gray with pink fin, Blue/Gray with blue dots on tails, and small Grouper moving about in the cooler water south of the area. French Grunts were actively feeding near R3's feeding area.

When R3 would return to its center spot, the Grunts would cross over from the dense turtle grass and remain on the outside of the turtle's space. Then a French Grunt would sidle up to R3 as the turtle was resting and chewing in its center spot. The Grunt, parallel to R3 and behind its head would nibble at the turtle's shell just in front of the front flipper. None of the other fish exhibited this behavior and this was the first time this activity was observed . This was not a solo action but a repeated activity recurring throughout this observation. The French Grunt's nibbling activity only occurred when R3 was in the center spot of its grazing depression. This spot, approximately 2 feet wide by 3 feet in length, was oblong in shape and had a slight depression in the middle. The turtle would position itself in the center of the spot matching its oval shape proportionally to the spot. Around the spot was a mixture of grass and in it lay two pieces of broken dead branch coral. Once in position, a Grunt from the group which was outside the turtle's space, would sidle up to the turtle and start the nibbling. The nibbling was carried out by only one Grunt at a time, and whether or not it was the same Grunt each time is unknown.

Toward the end of the observation as the turtle moved in its grazing arc, it began to graze closer and closer to the observer. At times, as noted above, it grazed directly beneath the observer. Perhaps the shadow of the observer, like that of a boat, provided the turtle with a safe feeding location.

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