Kralendijk– The first sea turtle nest of 2019 was discovered on May 3rd by STCB staff and volunteer Beachkeepers, who monitor nesting activity on the beaches of Bonaire every day and Klein Bonaire three times a week during the nesting season, which officially runs from May to December. 

The first nest was laid by a loggerhead sea turtle, one of three (critically) endangered species of marine turtles that nest on Bonaire. Loggerheads are normally the first to lay their nests on the beaches of Bonaire, followed by green turtles and hawksbills. “Bonaire’s beaches receive an annual average of 100 nests,” said Kaj Schut, STCB’s Communications Coordinator. “We hope this nest will be the start of another successful nesting season!”

This year, STCB will continue its long-term studies of nesting sea turtles by recording every sea turtle nest and false crawl on Bonaire and Klein Bonaire, marking each nest and collecting a variety of data. You can help STCB carry out their work by adopting one or more sea turtle nests. Your support allows them to monitor the safety of the nests, to relocate nests that are in danger of drowning, to place barriers around nests that are laid on popular beaches and to rescue hatchlings that become wrapped in roots during hatching. Over the past five years, the public has helped STCB save more than 13,000 (critically) endangered sea turtle hatchlings through the adoption of 125 sea turtle nests.

The following companies and families have already committed to Adopt-A-Nest in 2019: Best Cellars Bonaire, Blue Jay Holding Bonaire, Bonaire Office Systems B.V., Administratiekantoor Brandaris B.V., Brave Water Foundation, Buts Technical Consultancy, The Cadushy Distillery, Cargill Salt Bonaire B.V., Casa Presioso, ContourGlobal Bonaire, Dan & Christine Fisher, Dinska Dohmen, Dive Friends Bonaire, dNM Interim, Doris & Martin Elle, Hamlet Oasis Resort, Great Adventures (Harbour Village Beach Club), Harbourtown Real Estate, International Tax Advisors BV, Jim & Judy Kewley, Joan & Alan Zale, Labor Omnia Vincit bv, Michael & Anne Contratto, Moon Tower, NAGICO Insurances, Parrot Island Divers, Qvillas Bonaire, RE/MAX Paradise Homes, Sand Dollar “Ca”Nesta”, Sand Dollar Turtle Lovers Club 1, Sand Dollar Turtle Lovers Club 2, Sunbelt Realty Bonaire, Sundhevy & Stijn, Villa Kiki Bonaire, VIP Diving Bonaire and the Wadyckis Family.

If you would like to start your journey as an adopter, you can contact STCB at +599 717 2225, cepa@bonaireturtles.org or by visiting their office (Kaya Korona #53). STCB has been granted the ANBI status. Therefore, donors may be able to deduct donations from their taxable income.