Sea Turtles in Turks and Caicos
Everything You Need to Know to See and Swim with Turtles in Providenciales
Witnessing a sea turtle in its native environment is a unique experience. The Turks and Caicos Islands are home to various species of sea turtles, providing ample opportunities to observe these majestic creatures in their natural habitat. You can catch a glimpse of these beautiful marine creatures up close while kayaking, snorkelling and diving, swimming, or by booking an island cruise. Here’s everything you need to know about spotting, and maybe even the chance to swim with, turtles in Turks and Caicos.
What sea turtle species live in Turks and Caicos?
Green turtles and hawksbill turtles are the most common sea turtle species in the Turks and Caicos Islands. These turtles forage in the clear shallow waters and sea grasses for food, nesting on the sandy beaches of its more remote cays and beaches.
Green turtles (Chelonia mydas) are large, hard-shelled sea turtles that feed on algae and seagrass. Found throughout the world, they are one of the most common sea turtles to spot while snorkelling or scuba diving in Turks and Caicos. The average green turtle weighs between 300 and 350 pounds and grows to about 4 feet in length. They live for at least 70 years and are vegetarian—they’re the only herbivorous species of sea turtle out there.
Hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) are smaller than green sea turtles and named for the shape of its mouth, which resembles a bird beak. Hawksbills use their pointed mouth to search for food in hard-to-reach places, like the cracks and crevices of coral reefs. These turtles mainly eat sponges, but will also feed on mollusks, small fish, and jellyfish. Hawksbills are also known for their beautiful, mottled shell with a distinct, serrated edge. Throughout history, hawksbills have been hunted for their shell, which artisans have used to make trinkets, hair combs, and jewellery like bracelets, earrings and rings.
Green turtle (Chelonia mydas)
Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
What is the history of sea turtles in Turks and Caicos?
Historically in Turks and Caicos, sea turtles were a source of food, primarily as subsistence. The eggs were considered a local delicacy, and the shells—specifically the hawksbill’s, whose scales are used to make tortoiseshell—used for crafts.
In recent years, discarded fishing traps and old nets have become a major threat to turtles. Ghost nets, as they’re called, can entangle the animals and drown them. Human development is a danger, too—turtles prefer to nest on dark, quiet beaches and the bright lights and loud noises of large beachfront developments can scare them away. Hotels and homes built directly on the beach can eliminate the turtles’ nesting habitat altogether.
Despite the challenges, steps are being made towards protection and sea turtle conservancy locally.
Are sea turtles protected in Turks and Caicos?
The consumption of turtles is still legal in the Turks and Caicos, however, the Department of Environment and Coastal Resources (DECR) has strict rules in place to promote their conservation. Particularly, the protection of turtle eggs and prevention of harvesting juveniles. In addition, there are restrictions on the capture of nesting turtles, collection of turtle eggs, and the export of sea turtle products.
It is also forbidden to catch loggerhead turtles, leatherback, Olive Ridley, and Kemp’s Ridley turtles—species that are rare in the Turks and Caicos, and some of which are critically endangered. Several organisations, businesses, and branches of local government have banded together to create The Turks and Caicos Islands Turtle Project, which collects data on local sea turtle populations to better protect them.
View sea turtles on a tour by kayak, paddleboard or experience the magic of swimming with a sea turtle at the reef!
Where can I see sea turtles in Turks and Caicos?
Turks and Caicos boasts an expansive barrier coral reef—one of the largest in the world, in fact—that provides exceptional habitat to a wide array of life, including green turtles and hawksbills. These animals dwell near the islands’ shallow reef and lush seagrass beds, making it possible to spot sea turtles just a stones’ throw from the beach. Smith’s Reef and The Bight Reef (Coral Gardens) are the best places on Providenciales to see sea turtles right offshore.
If you prefer to keep dry, book a tour to Providenciales’ expansive mangrove forest. Our island is home to sheltered channels you can access by kayak or stand-up-paddleboard. Mangroves are nurseries for a vast scope of sea life, including conch, many species of fish, stingrays, baby sharks, birds and of course – sea turtles. From the comfort of your kayak or paddleboard, you’ll have the chance to spot young sea turtles gliding along the surface of the crystal clear aters of the mangrove habitat.
One of the most incredible ways to interact with sea turtles in Turks and Caicos is by diving into the islands’ deeper waters. Scuba diving charters on Providenciales often visit the rugged coastline of West Caicos to dive, where green turtles and sea turtles weave through the islands’ pristine reef at a leisurely pace. Scuba diving allows you to become one with the turtles’ environment and spend longer visiting these ancient creatures’ habitat down below.
If you spot nest or a nesting mother on the beach, remember never to approach them or touch them.
After hatching, the babies must make their way out of the nest to the ocean.
How should you interact with sea turtles in Turks and Caicos?
Sea turtles are delicate creatures that face a large range of artificial environmental pressures. Remember to never touch sea turtles, whether they are on land or in the ocean as it can disrupt its behaviour, or worse, cause injury. While it is rare to see nests on Providenciales, it is crucial to not interrupt a nesting turtle if you come across one. Only one in about 1,000 turtles survives to adulthood. That means that every egg a turtle lays is critical to sustaining populations around the globe. Interrupting a nesting sea turtle can cause the animal to abandon its nest.
If you come across a sea turtle that is tangled in fishing gear, injured, or needs human help, contact the Turks and Caicos Islands Turtle Project. This organisation cares for injured turtles and has the necessary resources to rehabilitate and release the animals, if possible.
What tours can I book to spot sea turtles in Turks and Caicos?
Our team at Hummingbird Luxury is more than happy to book a kayak or paddleboard tour, snorkelling expedition, or scuba dive for you and your group on your visit to the Turks and Caicos Islands.
We work with the islands’ most reliable and reputable charter companies to offer our guests eco-tourism tours that introduce them to the spectacular network of life surrounding Providenciales.
Let us take the planning off your plate—get in touch with us today to plan your sea turtle adventure in the Turks and Caicos Islands.