Wild Tobago

Marine scientist and Technical Advisor to Save Our Sea turtles (SOS) Tobago, Dr Michelle Cazabon-Mannette, describes the fascinating life cycle of hawksbill turtles, the long journeys they make, the different habitats they inhabit, and the challenges they face. This article first appeared in the Tobago Newsday on Thursday 20h July 2017 A hawksbill hatchling makes its way to the sea. Photo courtesy Ryan P. Mannette We start the tale on a warm sandy beach in the tropics, where a female hawksbill has laid a clutch of about 150 round white eggs each the size of a golf ball. The eggs will incubate for about 60 days, before hatching in synchrony. Once the eggs hatch, it takes several days for the hatchlings, with an average shell length of just 4cm or 1.5 inches, to climb to the surface of the sand. They work together to wriggle their way through the sand, but once they hit the surface, it’s “every man for himself” as they make a mad dash for the sea. Natural instincts kick in and ...

Anjani Ganase, Trinbagonian marine biologist, continues her exploration of marine Tobago. In this issue, she discusses the work of Dr Michelle Cazabon-Mannette who surveyed sea turtles on the reefs of Tobago.This feature was first published in the Tobago Newsday on July 28, 2016. Follow Anjani Ganase on twitter @AnjGanase   In some of these columns, I will share the stories of other persons who are connected to coral reefs and the ocean. These connections are made in many ways, through occupation, research, sports or leisure. I will begin with marine biologist, Dr. Michelle Cazabon-Mannette, who grew up in the north of Trinidad and was always curious about the natural world. This curiosity eventually led to her discovery of the underwater world when – at 16 - she got the opportunity to learn to dive in the British Virgin Islands. This opened up a new world for exploration, and she continued to scuba dive on the reefs of Tobago. Her interest in the marine world devel...