Rapport du 23 décembre 2006
Rapport de l’expédition à Nosy Abhazo du 13 au 22 décembre 2006 des membres du Corps de la paix (Benjamin Byl-PCV, Mariah Raade-PCV)

This was the first ten-day expedition monitoring the sea turtle nesting season of the Nosy Barrens. Nightly walks along the shoreline were performed coinciding with the high tide. On Nosy Abhazo, the southern tip of the island was surpassed during each outing due to the presence of too many rocks, thus creating too harsh of an environment for turtles to nest. Participants were to look for nesting turtles along the beach. Upon finding a turtle, measurements of shell size and a tissue sample were to be taken, as well as the placement of an identification tag on the front left flipper.

During this first expedition, the participants did not come upon any currently nesting turtles. However, on the early morning of the 19th, one turtle did come up to shore and attempted to nest. The turtle started to dig one hole and then perhaps changed her mind and moved on to start digging a different hole. Upon finding the two dug out holes, it was never certain if the turtle eggs had been poached or if the turtle had left before nesting. When asked, the local fishermen thought the turtle came around 3 am, and left around 5 am before laying any eggs. If this is the case, perhaps the turtle was frightened by something and decided to leave, or it may have become too bright out to finish her egg laying process in a timely manner.

About 50 meters from the two attempted nesting sites, some turtle egg shells were found in the woods. They had already been cooked and eaten. The local fishermen thought it may have been another fisherman in passing and that the remains could have already been a few weeks old.

The participants had also made an attempt to improve the living conditions on Nosy Abhazo. Garbage was continually collected and carried off the island. A run-down shelter had been reconstructed to provide more shade. The fishermen who inhabit the island had also been informed of the benefits of Sur’eau (locally available water purifier) and encouraged to use it to improve their drinking water.