Traffic on and near the Beach 



Several of the participants at this meeting expressed 

 concern about whether human pedestrian traffic might increase 

 mortality in nests. In fact, some evidence shows that it does, 

 especially on those beaches composed of coarse, smooth-grained 

 sand (Mann 1977; Mortimer 1981). Controlled experimentation is 

 badly needed, however, to determine exactly what effect human 

 footfalls have on both the hatching success of eggs and the 

 emergence success of the hatchlings. Such research should be 

 conducted using a variety of sand types so that the effects of 

 footfalls can be compared between beaches whose sand textures 

 differ. 



The findings from such studies would have important 

 implications for the management of recreational areas in which 

 turtle nesting occurs. At the present time, at most nesting 

 beaches, little effort is made to control human fbot traffic. 



Although documentation is lacking, footfalls of livestock — 

 horses, cows, etc. — most certainly damage eggs and hatchlings on 

 nesting beaches. Studies are needed to determine exactly what 

 effect livestock traffic has on incubating egg clutches. In the 

 meantime, livestock should not be allowed to walk on nesting 

 beaches. 



Unquestionably, vehicular traffic, such as off-road vehicles 

 and motorcycles, should be prohibited from driving on nesting 

 beaches. The weight of the vehicles causes sand compaction, and 

 spinning tires can easily injure or kill hatchlings that are 

 making their way up to the surface through the sand column (Mann 

 1977; Witherington 1986). Ruts produced by such vehicles on the 

 surface of the sand have also been shown to trap hatchlings that 

 are trying to get to the sea, forcing them instead to travel long 

 distances parallel to the water's edge (Hosier et al. 1981; 

 Witherington 1986) . 



Beach cleaning equipment should not be used on turtle 

 nesting beaches. It crushes hatchlings, and causes sand 

 compaction which in turn interferes with the emergence of 

 hatchling turtles and also impedes the female during nest 

 construction (Mann 1977; Raymond 1984b). 



Nearshore boat traffic — recreational speed-boats, water- 

 skiers, etc. — is another form of disturbance present at some 

 nesting beaches. Its effect on turtles at their internesting 

 habitat has never been documented. Nevertheless, boat traffic 

 may interfere with courtship, frighten nesting females away, or 

 cause physical injury or even death should collisions occur with 



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