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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

Junichi Okuyama described how seagrass meadows around Okinawa, Japan are collapsing due to over grazing by green #seaturtles. The 3 pillars of their approach looks at turtle population status and foraging ecology, seagrass meadow carrying capacity, and local stakeholders. #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

Trenton Aguilar assessed vessel avoidance behavior in green #seaturtles off the Gulf Coast in Florida. "Speed compresses the avoidance margin. At that margin is the difference between an encounter and strike." #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

Kristin Haley described the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Wildlife Lighting Certification Program. The program has been successful in reducing #seaturtle hatchling disorientation. #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

S. Pingo continued the theme of community building, involvement, and capacity building when working to reduce #seaturtle mortality in pelagic longline fisheries in Peru. #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

Carlos Mario Pacheco Turcios described efforts to strengthen community participation with a new MPA in El Salvador. Through consultation with community based experts, #seaturtle #conservation is strengthened. #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

Brittany Baechler described the ocean plastic pollution problem. The equivalent of 1 garbage truck of plastic is dumped into the ocean every minute. A review of necropsy results shows 1 in 20 #seaturtles died from plastic ingestion. New tool: Wildlife impact calculator. #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

Ana Valeria Esparza Guevara evaluated the effect of artificial light on green #seaturtle hatchlings on Tortuguero Beach, Costa Rica. Found artificial light directly impacts hatchling orientation. Red light is an improvement. #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

Shritika Prakesh described how #seaturtles are embedded in the iTaukei (indigenous communities) in Fiji. Turtles are harvested for ceremonial reasons at the direction of the chief. These communities are also integrating regulations and science with their traditional practices. #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

Anna Ortega presented the Pacific Leatherback Decision Hub, a new tool to share information. Leatherback #seaturtles are among the most studied species in the world, yet due to the multitude of jurisdictions it's difficult to access data. This tool promotes information sharing. #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

Thushan Javalath Kapurusinghe discussed #conservation and management of #seaturtles in Sri Lanka. Conservation challenges include negative impacts from tourism, habitat loss, agency and NGO capacity, and coordination among institutions. #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

Jacey Van Wert investigated leatherback #seaturtle #bycatch in Hawaii's deep-set longline fishery. Regs for hook shape/size, leader material recently changed to protect false killer whales & oceanic whitetip sharks. Changes increased leatherback bycatch, although impact is small. #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

Graeme Hays discussed the value of long term data sets including satellite tag data, counting and measuring turtles, and sand temperatures. He challenged the group to consider how these data will be used in 20, 50, 100 years? Must archive data so it is not lost! #ISTS44 #ISTS2026 #seaturtles

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

Hector Barrios-Garrido presented results from the #seaturtle #conservation program at Ras Baridi Beach in Saudi Arabia. Program includes wardens, surveys, reducing beach driving, removing marine debris, visitors centers. #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

We're posting again today from the International Sea Turtle Symposium! #ISTS44 #ISTS2026 Kelleigh Downs described adaptive predator controls used to protect hawksbill #seaturtle nests in Hawaii. Predators include rats, mongoose, mice, feral cats. Live traps work if staff available, else AT220s.

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Reposted by The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center

Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research @accstr.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

ACCSTR student @ecologistash.bsky.social presented yesterday on the coprophagous relationship between remoras and green turtles. #ISTS2026

Ashley Meade Kusel begins her presentation titled Straight from the cloaca: The coprophagous relationship between remotas and green turtles.

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Reposted by The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center

Hannah Vander Zanden @hanvanzan.bsky.social · 03/03/2026

A lovely welcome social and opening ceremonies at #ISTS2026.

Participants mingle at tables on a lawn with a dark sky, palm trees, and hotel in background.

Hawaiian dancers dressed in red on a covered stage with a band behind them.

A man with fire sticks spinning and drummers behind him. ISTS participants look on.

Dr. Alexander Gaos gives opening remarks.

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Reposted by The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center

Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research @accstr.bsky.social · 04/03/2026

ACCSTR student (Renato Bruno) and former postdoc (Marco Garcia Cruz) delivered presentations at #ISTS2026 yesterday. See alt text for their titles.

Renato Saragoça Bruno delivers a presentation titled: From Costa Rica to the Sargasso Sea: Tracking “lost years” sea turtles reveals dispersion routes and the longest recorded movement of a critically endangered hawksbill

Marco Garcia Cruz delivers a presentation titled: Comparison of isotopic niches of breeding green turtles at two major Caribbean rookeries

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Reposted by The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center

Katrina Phillips @katrinaphillips.bsky.social · 02/03/2026

I’ll be posting this week from the International Sea Turtle Society symposium in Hawai’i Day 1 was full of fantastic workshops: in the morning I attended one about applying for research permits to study turtles, and my afternoon was all about sea turtle epibionts 🌊🐢 #ISTS44 #ISTS2026 #seaturtle

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

Ana Vilma Henriquez Pocasangre shared group's work in #seaturtle nest protection, #bycatch reduction, education and outreach, and community collaboration, which is helping hawksbills in El Salvador to recover. In 2007, 100% of nests were consumed. In 2024, 99% were protected. #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

Bryan P. Wallace discussed his projects to work with fishers and reduce leatherback #seaturtle #bycatch in Trinidad and Tobago. "Co-created solutions take time to build trust, but ensure equitable, long-term, win-win outcomes." #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

Andrew Mauer described how the Important Marine Turtle Area (IMTA) process can inform #seaturtle #conservation policy. #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

Shannon Gore shared how her group built a collaborate framework for #seaturtle recovery in the British Virgin Islands. Strategic partnerships and community collaborations were key. "In a changing ocean, resilience.... will belong to the strongest collaborations." #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

Kelly Ann Howlett summarized 2 decades of community led #seaturtle #conservation in Port Hedland, Western Australia. Long term data and community involvement are key! #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

Leora Radetsky discussed the problem of light pollution, stating that it is often treated as a spectrum only problem. There are so many additional components that should be addressed to protect #seaturtles. #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

Kelleigh Downs described using thermal imagery to monitor hawksbill #seaturtles in Hawaii. Females, hatchlings, and non-native predators could be detected. #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

Brian Shamblin presented a new approach to characterize successfully breeding male loggerhead and green #seaturtles by genotyping sperm trapped in the perivitelline (PVM) membrane. So cool! #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

Alessandra Cani used stable isotope analysis to assess there demographic relevance of new loggerhead #seaturtle nesting on the Western Mediterranean. The recent increase in nesting events seems to be contributing to recruitment. #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

Carlos Carreras used genomic tools to characterize emerging #seaturtle nest sites in Italy. Found no relatedness among regions. #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

Jamie Adkins investigated whether there is a genetic component to leatherback #seaturtle migration in the Pacific. Found that they're is a genetic component. Genomic differences likely have functional consequences for migratory traits. #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

Patricia Guedes investigated seasonal migration and genomic patterns in green #seaturtles in Poilão Island, West Africa. Found that Poilão is a panmictic nesting population. Any genomic differentiation is subtle and possibly localized. #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

Ronel Nel assessed global #seaturtle population trends. Found population in half of the Regional Management Units (RMUs) are increasing. 4 of 7 turtles species are increasing. However data is lacking since 2010. #l#ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

Jamie Clark is developing methods to age Kemp's ridley #seaturtles using Near-Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy. Found the method is great for aging juvenile turtles up to maturity. #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

Chia-Ling Fong analyzed the wild recovery of green #seaturtles in Taiwan from anthropogenic injuries. Incorporated citizen science and sightings data. Found many minor wounds heal in 491 +- 240 days, while severe wounds take longer, 600 +- 190 days. #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

Teal Guetschow investigated the use of flashing green LED lights to reduce loggerhead #seaturtle #bycatch in Trinidad and Tobago. Found 59% reduction in bycatch. Also received positive feedback from fishers involved in the experiment. #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

Sarah Milton investigated plastic ingested by #seaturtles in Florida. Found no real difference between species or sex for color, structure, or polymer. There were differences among age classes. #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

Brett Wilson assessed the effectiveness of a fisher-developed bycatch reduction device in the NC blue crab fishery. Narrow Funnel Devices were shown to reduce diamondback terrapin bycatch without impacting crab catch. These are now being adopted in the fishery. 👏👏 #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

Mathieu Barret presented 23 years of data on #seaturtle strandings on Reunion Island. Over 66% of strandings were due to anthropogenic reasons, including boat strikes, pollution, accidental hooking, and poaching. #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

Andrea Kraetzer investigated the effect of buoy-less gillnets on #seaturtle #bycatch. In contrast with a previous study, she found that this type of net increased turtle bycatch by 200%. She cautioned this could be due to contextual variation, but it bears consideration. #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

Lyndsey Howell used sediment chemical fingerprinting of aspirated sediment in #seaturtles and an analysis of foraging effort to link strandings to specific fisheries. #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

Kayla Burgher tested solar- powered, flashing green LED lights as a means of reducing #seaturtle #bycatch in pound net fisheries. Found these lights reduce bycatch overall more than battery operated, static LED lights. Solar powered are easier for fishers to deploy. A win-win! #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

Marina M.P.B. Fuentes assessed the impact of vessels on #seaturtles in Florida. Found that vessels impose both direct (lethal) and indirect (behavioral & energetic) consequences. #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

Moderator Bryan Wallace shared some closing thoughts. "It's time to evolve from a crisis mindset... to long-term coexistence of #seaturtles and people." 👏👏🐢 #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

Michelle María Early Capistrán expanded on the theme of community and cultural issues. It's important to incorporate local knowledge and culture in #seaturtle #conservation. #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

Neca Marcovaldi of Fundação Projeto Tamar: "Everyone is essential for ensuring the long term protection of these animals and their habitat. Now, #seaturtles in Brazil have become a symbol of national pride and a symbol of development for local communities. #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

Jeffrey Seminoff discussed some of the challenges with the Red List criteria and shared the example of the green #seaturtle. #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

We're posting today from the International Sea Turtle Symposium #ISTS44 #ISTS2026. This morning's plenary explores evolving the ethos of #seaturtle #conservation. How do we go from a crisis discipline focused on short-term symptom management to a transformative, systems-level discipline?

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

Adam Kennedy shared stranding statistics of cold stunned #seaturtles in Cape Cod Bay. He shared how the New England Aquarium's warming protocols have adapted over the years to go from a 5- day to a 3-day schedule. No overall survival differences. #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

Heather Harris looked at clinical health predictors of body condition in leatherback #seaturtles. Found ultrasound fat depth and body condition score can serve as proxies for body condition index. BHB is a valuable predictor of feeding status. #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center @seaturtlehospital.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

Yaniv Levy developed a lung lavage procedure that can increase survival rates for drowning #seaturtles. A simplified procedure may be able to be carried out by fishers at sea. This is very hopeful! #ISTS44 #ISTS2026

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