The Bahamas National Trust (BNT) continues to contribute to the conservation of sea turtles, which remain on the global endangered species list. Each year, the BNT supports two or three sea-turtle tagging expeditions, which are designed to evaluate movement and distribution patterns of sea turtles in The Bahamas.
“The sea turtle internship allows us to immerse young people into a holistic experience that provides research training, boat, presentation and life skills,” said Portia Sweeting, BNT Director of Education.
This season’s interns were from New Providence (Laron Bethel and Tavano Sweeting) and Grand Bahama (Raguel Nesbitt). All interns are graduates of the Ministry of Education Science & Technology’s Marine Science Magnet Programmes. Raguel Nesbitt is also a participant in the BESS program managed by BREEF.
“The turtle tagging expedition has been spectacular despite the weather.” said Sweeting. “Although sometimes the hefty turtles gave us a hard time, I loved the opportunity!”
This year’s sea turtle expedition travelled to Spanish Wells, Eleuthera, Sandy Point and Moore’s Island, Abaco and Grand Bahama. While in Eleuthera, the team tagged eight green turtles. The turtle tagging process involves measuring the turtle’s length and width, weighing the turtle, recording the place and time of the capture and finally implanting an identification tag.
Raguel Nesbitt, who is based in Grand Bahama, replaced the Nassau interns during the Grand Bahama leg of the internship and joined them for the Abaco leg.
“This internship has exceeded my expectations,” said Nesbitt. “The education aspect of this expedition has started up something within as I am now thinking of leaning toward educating others as a career.”
As a part of the expedition, the students are required to deliver presentations in various communities on major islands about the BNT and the work they are doing to protect these precious turtles. While visiting Grand Bahama, turtle researcher, Steve Connett gave a turtle conservation presentations to the Discovery Club at Freeport Gospel Primary and students in grades 4-6 at Lucaya International School.
While in Abaco, the interns gave a presentation at Sandy Point Primary on the importance of protecting sea turtles. They also participated in a Lunch & Learn presentation at Moore’s Island Primary School where they allowed the students to see and touch some of the turtles that were tagged.
In The Bahamas, all marine turtles are protected and cannot be caught by fishermen for consumption or other reasons due to the fact that these animals are endangered and near extinct throughout the world.
Interested students who want to apply for internship positions need to contact the BNT education department or visit their website. To see more photos from this year’s turtle tagging visit the BNT Facebook page or become a member to support this program and many more.
Pictured is Tavano Sweeting, one of this year's interns from Nassau during the turtletagging expedition.
Laron Bethel Poses With a Turtle After Capturing It
Turtle Researcher, Steve Connett and Grand Bahama Students Tagging Turtles During a Weekend Expedition
(Photos courtesy of BNT for Barefoot Marketing)
