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Rich Griffith - Santa Cruz, CA | profile | all galleries >> Galleries >> Trinidad and Tobago - May 2011 - Leatherback Turtles tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Trinidad and Tobago - May 2011 - Leatherback Turtles

Every year from February through August, Leatherback Turtles come ashore at Grande Riviere Beach on the northeast coast of Trinidad to lay their eggs. Every night between dusk and dawn, up to 500 turtles appear on the beach. These photos were taken mid-May as part of a natural history adventure organized by Cheesemans' Ecology Safari, Inc.
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Dawn breaks at Grande Riviere
Dawn breaks at Grande Riviere		 The beach fronts the Mt. Plaisir Hotel
The beach fronts the Mt. Plaisir Hotel		 Ashore to lay eggs...
Ashore to lay eggs...		 ...searching for a good spot...
...searching for a good spot...
...still looking
...still looking		 They nest about every 10 days during the season...
They nest about every 10 days during the season...		 ...an exhausting process
...an exhausting process		 Finding a nest site
Finding a nest site
Burying eggs (1 of 3)
Burying eggs (1 of 3)		 Burying eggs (2 of 3)
Burying eggs (2 of 3)		 Burying eggs (3 of 3)
Burying eggs (3 of 3)		 Up close and personal
Up close and personal
Turtles enter a trance when laying eggs
Turtles enter a trance when laying eggs		 Eyes tear up when nesting
Eyes tear up when nesting		 Up close
Up close		 Another close up
Another close up
Eyes tearing up when nesting
Eyes tearing up when nesting		 Ready to depart
Ready to depart		 Leatherback eggs detail
Leatherback eggs detail		 Broken egg with embryo
Broken egg with embryo
Uncovered eggs mainly by turtles nesting in prior nests
Uncovered eggs mainly by turtles nesting in prior nests		 Vulture predation on uncovered eggs
Vulture predation on uncovered eggs		 Dead hatchling - About 1 in a 1,000 survives to adulthood
Dead hatchling - About 1 in a 1,000 survives to adulthood		 Hatchling size comparison
Hatchling size comparison
This one's got a chance!!!
This one's got a chance!!!		 Preparing to return to sea
Preparing to return to sea		 Ready to move on
Ready to move on		 It's a struggle...
It's a struggle...
...through the thick sand!
...through the thick sand!		 Moving on!
Moving on!		 Return to sea (1 of 5)
Return to sea (1 of 5)		 Return to sea (2 of 5)
Return to sea (2 of 5)
Return to sea (3 of 5)
Return to sea (3 of 5)		 Return to sea (4 of 5)
Return to sea (4 of 5)		 Return to sea (5 of 5)
Return to sea (5 of 5)		 Another return to the Caribbean (1 of 4)
Another return to the Caribbean (1 of 4)
Another return to the Caribbean (2 of 4)
Another return to the Caribbean (2 of 4)		 Another return to the Caribbean (3 of 4)
Another return to the Caribbean (3 of 4)		 Another return to the Caribbean (4 of 4)
Another return to the Caribbean (4 of 4)		 Yet another returns (1 of 8)
Yet another returns (1 of 8)
Yet another returns (2 of 8)
Yet another returns (2 of 8)		 Yet another returns (3 of 8)
Yet another returns (3 of 8)		 Yet another returns (4 of 8)
Yet another returns (4 of 8)		 Yet another returns (5 of 8)
Yet another returns (5 of 8)
Yet another returns (6 of 8)
Yet another returns (6 of 8)		 Yet another returns (7 of 8)
Yet another returns (7 of 8)		 Yet another returns (8 of 8)
Yet another returns (8 of 8)		 A prehistoric saga continues
A prehistoric saga continues
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