farquah 0 Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 Just recently some Loggerhead Turtles have started arriving in Kujukuri, Chiba. Its a real surprise as a lot earlier than usual. They arrive here to nest most years along with the Green Turtle but usually in lesser numbers. I shall be working monitoring the nesting this year along the beach. Its an amazing site to see these animals laying their eggs. Link to post Share on other sites
I'm An Extremely Bald Man 0 Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 How big are these dudes? Would love to see it myself. Link to post Share on other sites
farquah 0 Posted June 22, 2005 Author Share Posted June 22, 2005 About this big!! Loggerheads are among the biggest marine turtles, sometimes measuring more than four feet in shell length, weighing up to 400 pounds, and having characteristically large heads and strong jaws, as I found out when bitten by one whilst trying to clean its shell!!!! Link to post Share on other sites
I'm An Extremely Bald Man 0 Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 Wow, amazing. They are cool dudes. Link to post Share on other sites
ShinyDiscoBall 2 Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 Definitely. Ace creatures they most surely are. Where is this Kujukuri, farquah - I presume some protected place? I'd love to see them myself. Link to post Share on other sites
fjef 0 Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 I live a few minutes away from Kujukiri - its a big beach. Is there a good place to go and observe without interfering? Link to post Share on other sites
farquah 0 Posted June 22, 2005 Author Share Posted June 22, 2005 ShinyDB-Kujukuri is a natural public beach on the Chiba peninsular, its particularly noted for its sandy beaches and so ideal for turlte nesting. fjef- Its a bit of a lottery where you can see them. The turtles come up to the beach around 10pm-2am usually so that nesting is under dark conditions. Look for tracks in the sand as a clue, like this for the babies (but this shouldn`t be for about another month or so) or like this for where the turtles have nested. This shows a Loggerhead nest. The track on the left leads away from the borrow pit (shadows on left). Her nest is the mound in the center right that covers her eggs. The tracks on the lower right lead to her nest. If you are going to have a peek, or come across one then PLEASE be very very quiet, and DON`T use a torch or any lighting. You can actually go pretty near the turlte when it is laying her eggs but wait until the nest has been made or you would scare her off. While actually laying the eggs however she goes into a kind of trance and you can appraoch from behind and have a peek at her actually squeezing the eggs out (again don`t use a torch and give a wide birth when approaching...don`t go anywhere near her front). Then retire to a safe distance and have a watch as she fills in her nest and slumps back off to sea!! Its an amazing site. I am off down this evening to check some locations so will mail you if you want after today and let you know some locations and feel free to meet up and help out with the research and see them nesting and later on in the summer actually hatching!!! Also if you do come across a nesting turlte or site please mail me as its hard for us to spot all the nests and so if its one we missed would be great to know of. Link to post Share on other sites
fjef 0 Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 I am located about 10 minutes from the south end of Kujukiri beach. I have shown these pictures to my kids and it looks like a turtle expedition is on. Any info you can send to help us find a spot and not mess up the turtles (in addition to what you have already advised) would be apprectiated. The kids are excited so it looks like we'll spend a night on the beach. I bet its best to wait for a clear sky and some moon light? How many days/weeks are the turtles likely to be seen? Link to post Share on other sites
veronica 2 Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 I'd love to see them as well. Do many people go down there? They behave themselves? Link to post Share on other sites
fjef 0 Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 Kujukiri Beach is over 60 kms long - there are developed areas on the beach and there are large areas that are not developed and some areas that attract mostly surfers. But it is a huge area so its easy to find places with no one around. My kids are usually well behaved - but I am not... Link to post Share on other sites
r45 4 Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 Would love to see something like that. On the same kind of subject, are there any Japanese animal/nature programs on tv - ones importantly without all the shouting tarento and quizes. You know, like, serious ones. Link to post Share on other sites
klingon 10 Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 The only one I have seen is on NHK. All others are just excuses for quizes like you say. Link to post Share on other sites
farquah 0 Posted June 23, 2005 Author Share Posted June 23, 2005 Was down at the beach last night and was lucky enough to see a large mature female Loggerhead nesting right up on the beach!! Was a great site and wasn`t expecting it last night, and she managed to lay around 120 eggs a little more than the average so top news!! Fjef- This was toward Nagisa Kaido I think was the name if you know it. There was evidence of a few nest sites and if you see yellow or red taping on protuding objects near there these are our points for triangulating the nest location so wander around there and you should see one. Best tip I can give youa t night is find an area that is away from most light. The turtles come supprisingly far inshore on the beach to nest so look near a duney area. Try not to take large groups as it will probably mean the turtles will hear you coming and turn around and slouch off back to sea to find different point. If you find a dark stretch with good losse sand and pretty long stretch from tide line to sand banks that is yoru best bet. Do regular patrols of that area each hour and you may well come across something. It is stil early, the usual time period being next month and beginning of August here for Green Turtles and Loggerheads alike, so you have plenty of time. ALso if you take pictures (which isn`t really advised) then take it looking toward land from the sea side as this will dissorientate the turtle less and also not disturb her as much. Will let you know of the most liekly locations after this weekend. Link to post Share on other sites
fjef 0 Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 Thanks - do you remember any names of train stations or towns? The Nagisa Kaido is the road that follows along the coast and thhat'S 66 kms of beach... I guess the Turtles don't need maps - maybe I'll start at one end and work my way up. We will like ly go out tomorrow night as its not a school night. I've already coached the kids about being quiet and no cameras... Link to post Share on other sites
fjef 0 Posted June 24, 2005 Share Posted June 24, 2005 I spoke to a few local beach dwellers - surfers and fishermen - and they said the currents are unusual this year. The Kujukiri - Onjuku area is where the cold northern current and the warm southern currents converge. Normally, the northern current pushes the warm water south until the end of July or early August in my area - that's why surfers wear winter wet suits until well into the summer here. This year, the warm current has won out already - I was in the water this week with no wet suit (the entire beach looked at me like I was nuts) - and it was as warm as it usually is in early summer. Maybe this is why the turtles are here early too - I noticed that they weren't wearing any wet suits in your pictures... Link to post Share on other sites
big-will 7 Posted June 24, 2005 Share Posted June 24, 2005 Any particular reason they said why things are unusual this year? Link to post Share on other sites
amandanism 0 Posted June 24, 2005 Share Posted June 24, 2005 one of my favourite childhood memories was seeing the turtles running along the beach on heron island in australia. i really want to go back there. what a sight to see. Link to post Share on other sites
farquah 0 Posted June 24, 2005 Author Share Posted June 24, 2005 Manda where is Heron Island, is it N.Australia? There is a species of turtle only found in Northern Australia and the shallow waters of the continental shelf called the Flatback Turtle. We have no idea of its classification (i.e how many there are) and we know very little about them. THe females grow about 3.5-4 feet in length. If you saw one of these you are really lucky, and am very jealous!! Link to post Share on other sites
I'm Sexy 0 Posted June 24, 2005 Share Posted June 24, 2005 They looks amazing I would really like to see them. Link to post Share on other sites
farquah 0 Posted June 24, 2005 Author Share Posted June 24, 2005 The organisation I am working for at the moment have put up some info on the turtles in 日本語日本語 ELNA if anyone is intersted in seeing them then drop me a message and I could try and organise something in a few weeks along the coast. We should know more after the weekend. Link to post Share on other sites
amandanism 0 Posted June 24, 2005 Share Posted June 24, 2005 heron island is about 500km north of brisbane. its not that far north. im pretty sure its loggerheads and green turtles in that region. its a national park and there is active marine research station. one of the best in australia i think. Link to post Share on other sites
farquah 0 Posted June 24, 2005 Author Share Posted June 24, 2005 Looks like an amzing place Heron Island. Just had a quick look on the net and the Marine Centre looks like a really good program. Beautiful place and the sea looks amazing for diving. Link to post Share on other sites
fjef 0 Posted June 24, 2005 Share Posted June 24, 2005 We have access to a cheap place for group accommodation/BBQing (tennis & squash too) near here - if anyone is interssted in a turtle expedition and some surf and sun, let me know - if there is a group of 10 or more, it can be very cheap. Link to post Share on other sites
fjef 0 Posted June 25, 2005 Share Posted June 25, 2005 We will be heading out from the south end of Kujukiri beach tonight at about 11 for our first turtle expedition...will let you know what we find when we get back... Link to post Share on other sites
gamera 0 Posted June 26, 2005 Share Posted June 26, 2005 Farquah do you know the Japanese name for the loggerhead turtle? I look at an illustrated book for the reptiles but can not quess what it is. Quote: Originally posted by farquah: along with the Green Turtle This green turtle (gamera) doesn't go there to nest Link to post Share on other sites
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