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Calista Anderson
Mrs. DeBock
18 October 2016
English 4
Essential Question: What influence do state parks and conservation organizations have on sea
turtle conservation?
Working Thesis: State parks and conservation organizations protect sea turtle nests, rescue and
rehabilitate sea turtles, as well as clean the beaches of pollution.
Refined Thesis: State parks and conservation organizations are essential and have a positive
impact on sea turtle conservation.
Annotated Bibliography
Barbalich, Andrea. "Saving The Sea Turtles." Kiwi (2015): 40. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 19
Oct. 2016.

This article informs about the many goals that state parks and turtle conservation
organizations have in hopes of protecting the sea turtles. Many conservation organizations tag,
track, and study sea turtles to be able to better help them. They plant certain types of plants and
trees along the beaches that sea turtles are known to eat, to help attract turtles to safe nesting
grounds. They educate children programs and tourists on the threats that pollution causes to sea
turtles, helping to keep plastic and other debris out of the ocean. They organize beach sweeps to
help clean up the beach of any trash that is on it. They rehabilitate and release sea turtles into the
ocean. This article is relevant to my research because it explains the various tasks that state parks

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and conservation organizations do to help protect and save the sea turtles from many different
threats.

"Beaches & Nature." Atlanta (2013): 12. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2016.

This article is about the conservation efforts on Amelia Island in Florida at Fort Clinch
State park, which is said to be the nesting area for 90% of all sea turtles in the United States.
They work hard to keep their beaches clean of pollution and therefore welcoming to the sea
turtles who want to lay their eggs there. Local volunteers take steps to protect the nests and help
hatchlings get to the ocean. They inform tourists about how important it is to respect the nests
and the beaches on which they are to help more sea turtles survive every year. This article is
relevant to my research because it informs of a state park that is helping to conserve sea turtles.

"Government Plan To Save Sea Turtle Eggs Dubbed 'Hypocritical' By Conservationists." ABC
Premium News (n.d.): Points of View Reference Center. Web. 18 Oct. 2016.

This article discusses what conservationists are doing to protect sea turtle nests and eggs
from the effects of climate change. Once the sand reaches a temperature of above 32 degrees, the
unhatched turtles begin to die in the eggs. Many state parks support the Cloth Shade Program
(CSP) in which a cloth shade in put above and around a known sea turtle nest to keep the sand
cooler in these areas. This simple task is saving many sea turtle hatchlings from death by
overheating. Some volunteers build large shade structures and monitor the temperature of the
sand periodically throughout the day. This article is relevant to my research because it gives an

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example of something that state parks are doing to protect sea turtle nests from temperature
threats.

Hill, Jacob E., et al. "Shading And Watering As A Tool To Mitigate The Impacts Of Climate
Change In Sea Turtle Nests." Plos ONE 10.6 (2015): 1-14. Academic Search Complete.
Web. 19 Oct. 2016.

This article informs that with climate change, the temperatures of the sand on the beaches
where turtles lay their eggs is increasing. When the temperature of the sand around a turtle nest
gets too hot, the unhatched turtles begin to die. This increase in temperature also affects the sexratio of turtles which could also lead to decreasing reproductive output. Some state parks have
begun to use shading as a solution, putting tents and tarps over nests to protect them from the
sun. Another solution is to water the sand around the nests, which decreases the temperature.
Especially in places with low levels of rain, watering the sand is making a huge impact in saving
unhatched sea turtle lives. This article is relevant to my research because it provides another
option for decreasing the number of turtle casualties due to climate change, as well as the
unbalanced sex-ratio.

"Rehabilitated Loggerhead Sea Turtle to be released Saturday at Huntington Beach State Park."
Sun News, The (Myrtle Beach, SC) 08 Sept. 2016: Points of View Reference Center. Web.
19 Oct. 2016.

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This article informs about a sea turtle that was released to Huntington Beach State Park
after being taken care of in an aquarium hospital. The sea turtle was given fluids, vitamins, and
medicine to help her get better. Her vitals were regularly checked to insure that she was healing.
They even helped remove the barnacles from her shell that were harming her. Once it was sure
that she was healthy and able to survive again, she was released into the ocean at the state park.
This article is relevant to my research because it shows some of the things that state parks do to
help wounded sea turtles and return them to the wild.

Swaminathan, Nikhil. "Guarding The Nest." Atlanta 54.1 (2014): 72. MasterFILE Premier.
Web. 18 Oct. 2016.

This article informs about one of the oldest turtle conservation centers in the world in
Georgia. They rescue and rehabilitate injured sea turtles that wash up on the beaches due to
injuries involving boats. Many turtles get caught in the fishing nets of shrimp trawlers and have
to be cut out. Some sea turtles end up at the center to get their stomachs pumped after eating
plastic in the ocean. In the mid 1970s they had to protect sea turtle nests from egg poaching.
They cover the nests on the beaches with mesh to protect the unhatched turtles from hogs and
other predators. Volunteers help guide the turtles to the ocean and protect them from the ghost
crabs who feed on hatchlings. Once the nest is abandoned, they take inventory to predict how
many sea turtles have survived and made it to the ocean. This article is relevant to my research
because it provides examples of things that this state park is doing to protect and help the sea
turtles.