Sea Turtle Survival and Conservation | Amber Kuehn | TEDxHiltonHead

For 19 years I have been monitoring beaches for sea turtle nesting. I can distinguish the species by their track and I can tell if they are missing a flipper. They struggle to walk with fins that were meant for swimming and a 400lb body to pull up the beach. They leave the beach as hatchlings and return approximately 30 years later to nest. They have never been taught how to walk or how to dig a 3 foot hole to fit approximately 120 eggs. She repeats this arduous task every 2 weeks, up to 8 times in a season. She typically takes two years off to recover. The hatchlings rely on each other to dig their way to the surface. Their chances of making their way to the Gulf Stream are 1 in 100. The lucky one will need to survive unscathed for the next 30 years. I take care of the dead ones. They wash up on the beach with shattered shells or propeller cuts from boats. They get tangled in fishing line or swallow a hook. They eat plastics that clog their intestines, or simply die of unknown diseases. The health of these keystone species are a message from the ocean. When they suffer, there are things far worse to consider below. They have survived for millions of years and now their habitat is changing too fast to adapt. Obstacles abound at every turn and we are responsible. Awareness is better than oblivion. Your actions may result in a life saved. Using paper straws instead of plastic and reusable grocery bags, filling in holes on the beach, using a red-filtered flashlight on the beach, picking up litter, and supporting your local volunteer sea turtle programs are all ways to contribute to the survival of this majestic and endangered species. Amber grew up in Bluffton SC. She graduated with a Biology degree from University of Georgia in 1997. She became a professional boat captain in 1999. She started working with the HHI Sea Turtle Protection Project from 1998 - 2001 and went on to graduate school for a master’s degree in Marine Biology from Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. She returned to the Lowcountry in 2006 and has been with the HHI Sea Turtle Protection project for 11 consecutive seasons and currently manages the project. Amber is an active volunteer for the SC Marine Mammal Stranding Network in Beaufort County, and performs dolphin necropsies in the field for NOS (National Oceanic Services, a division of NOAA). She owns Spartina Marine Education Charters, operating a USCG certified vessel carrying 20 passengers. She educates tourist and locals on the unique ecosystem in the Lowcountry marshland, her own back yard. She is a fourth generation Bluffton resident. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx