Published Work

RoSTI — Saving Dominica's Endangered Sea Turtles

A photographic record of sea turtle conservation in the Caribbean

By Rowan Byrne

About the Book

RoSTI — Saving Dominica's Endangered Sea Turtles is a photographic record of the Rosalie Sea Turtle Initiative, a community-based conservation programme on the island of Dominica in the Eastern Caribbean.

The book documents Rowan Byrne's work as Project Manager of RoSTI — the fieldwork, the community partnerships, the threats faced by nesting leatherback, hawksbill and green sea turtles, and the extraordinary people who came together to protect them.

From the beaches of Londonderry and Rosalie Bay to the underwater world beneath the Atlantic, this book is both a scientific record and a human story of conservation in action.

Preview

Inside the Book

RoSTI — Saving Dominica's Endangered Sea Turtles — front cover — Front Cover

The Story of RoSTI — history of the Rosalie Sea Turtle Initiative, Dominica — The Story of RoSTI

Dedication page — in memory of all the poached turtles of Dominica — Dedication

Foreword by Errol Harris — RoSTI book — Foreword by Errol Harris

Table of Contents — RoSTI book — Table of Contents

Dominica's Endangered Sea Turtles — RoSTI book — Dominica's Endangered Sea Turtles

About Dominica — RoSTI book — About Dominica

Acknowledgements — RoSTI book — Acknowledgements

Individual pages details — RoSTI, WIDECAST, Rosalie Bay logos and copyright — Individual Pages & Credits

About the Author — Rowan Byrne, RoSTI book — About the Author

About the Author continued — Rowan Byrne, RoSTI book — About the Author (continued)

Photo Chapters

Early morning sunrise at La Plaine beach, Dominica — after night sea turtle patrols

Chapter One

An early morning sunrise at La Plaine beach. The dedicated RoSTI and forestry staff who help protect and conserve Dominica's endangered sea turtles have seen many a view like this one.

The Beaches of Dominica

The beaches of Londonderry and Rosalie Bay on Dominica's Atlantic coast are among the most important nesting sites for leatherback sea turtles in the Eastern Caribbean.

Londonderry Beach, Dominica — one of the biggest leatherback nesting beaches, awaiting the season — Londonderry Beach, one of the biggest beaches on Dominica, awaits nesting leatherbacks as the season begins.

Rosalie Beach by day — view from the turtle-watching hut, palm trees, Dominica — Rosalie Beach by day — a view from the turtle-watching hut down the beach.

A view of Rosalie Bay from the Atlantic Ocean, Dominica — winds arch trees from the shore — A view of Rosalie Bay from the Atlantic Ocean. Winds are so powerful that they force the trees to arch away from the shore.

Chapter Two

A leatherback hatchling emerges from its egg at Rosalie Beach.

The Turtles

Three species of endangered sea turtle nest on Dominica's beaches — the leatherback, the hawksbill and the green turtle. Each faces a different set of threats, and each is at the heart of RoSTI's conservation work.

A nesting leatherback sea turtle smiles for the camera on Rosalie Beach, Dominica — As she lays her eggs, a nesting leatherback smiles for the camera on Rosalie Beach.

Forestry staff measure the carapace of a nesting leatherback sea turtle, La Plaine, Dominica — Forestry staff measure the carapace (shell) width of this nesting leatherback turtle.

A rare yearling leatherback sea turtle reported to RoSTI through the sea turtle hotline, Dominica — A rare sight — this yearling leatherback was reported to RoSTI through the sea turtle hotline.

A rare amelanistic green sea turtle hatchling beside its normal sibling, held in Dominican hands, Rosalie Beach — In safe Dominican hands, a normal green turtle hatchling rests beside its amelanistic sibling just before release at Rosalie Beach.

A green turtle hatchling runs over sea grass towards the ocean, Dominica — A green turtle hatchling, driven by sheer determination to get to the water, runs over some sea grass.

A helping hand for leatherback hatchlings as they crawl out of their nest on Rosalie Beach — A helping hand for these leatherback hatchlings as they crawl out of their nest on Rosalie Beach.

Dominicans gathered around a nesting leatherback sea turtle on the beach at night

Chapter Three

Dominicans often arrive in large numbers for the chance to see a nesting leatherback turtle on their beaches.

Community & Conservation

RoSTI was built on community. From the 300–400 Dominicans who gathered at Londonderry Beach to the schoolchildren who took part in Sea Turtle Week, the people of La Plaine and Rosalie were at the heart of everything.

RoSTI staff happily overwhelmed by 300 to 400 Dominicans at Londonderry Beach to help protect nesting leatherback turtles — RoSTI staff are happily overwhelmed by sheer numbers each night at Londonderry beach. Often 300 to 400 Dominicans come to the beach to help protect nesting leatherback turtles.

Children after coastal clean-up at Rosalie Beach, Dominica — Children from La Plaine after a RoSTI coastal clean-up, Rosalie Beach.

RoSTI and the Community — book text page describing Dominican community involvement — Dominican communities are the true secret to RoSTI's success.

A nesting female leatherback turtle after a failed illegal poaching attack, La Plaine Beach, Dominica — she later returned to sea alive

Chapter Four

A nesting female leatherback turtle after a failed illegal attack. In its first two years, RoSTI reduced poaching like this by over 90%. She later returned to sea alive.

Threats & Rescue

Poaching, entanglement in fishing gear and coastal development are the primary threats to sea turtles in Dominica. RoSTI documented these threats and worked to address them directly.

The entangled leatherback sea turtle struggling underwater just before its rescue, Scotts Head, Dominica — The entangled leatherback, struggling underwater just before its rescue.

Mr Dave Pumba Fabian of ALdive helps free an entangled leatherback sea turtle, Scotts Head, Dominica — Mr Dave Pumba Fabian of ALdive, a dedicated marine conservationist, helps free an entangled leatherback sea turtle. The turtle was reported by local community members using the RoSTI turtle hotline.

Chapter Five

A young hawksbill rests on a reef off the coast of Dominica, and wonders what kind of strange object is approaching.

Beneath the Surface

Below the waves off Dominica's coast, the underwater world that sea turtles depend on is rich, diverse and fragile. This chapter documents the reef habitats that RoSTI worked to protect.

Hawksbill sea turtle hatchling taking its first breaths in the ocean, Dominica — Hawksbill hatchling (Eretmochelys imbricata) taking its first breaths in the ocean.

Green turtle hatchling running over sea grass to the ocean — A green turtle hatchling, driven by sheer determination to get to the water, runs over some sea grass.

Green sea turtle swimming in blue ocean — Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) — one of three species nesting in Dominica.

A local Dominican girl holding a hawksbill sea turtle before release — a moment to be remembered

Chapter Six

A local girl holding a hawksbill sea turtle before release — a moment to be remembered.

RoSTI and the Community

Sea Turtle Week, Hatchling Day, school visits and the Pirates of the Caribbean connection — RoSTI wove sea turtle conservation into the fabric of community life in La Plaine and beyond.

Tourists and Pirates of Caribbean staff watching a nesting leatherback sea turtle, Dominica — Sea turtle watching has become an increasingly popular activity for tourists visiting Dominica. Here tourists are joined by local police officers, all watching this leatherback lay her eggs.

Local school children at Sea Turtle Week 2004 in La Plaine, holding their own turtles outside the sea turtle exhibition — Local school children at Sea Turtle Week 2004 in La Plaine holding their own turtles outside the sea turtle exhibition.

A prize-winning sand sculpture of a leatherback turtle built by local community members at Hatchling Day, July 2005 — A prize-winning turtle! Local community members build a sand sculpture of a leatherback turtle at Hatchling Day, July 2005.

The ladies rounders team from Riviere Cyrique, Dominica's Southeast — RoSTI proudly sponsored the team as they became national champions in 2005 — The ladies rounders team from Riviere Cyrique, in Dominica's Southeast. RoSTI proudly sponsored the team, as they became national champions in 2005.

Supporters of the La Plaine cricket team at the finals in 2004, wearing RoSTI t-shirts — RoSTI actively sponsors local sports teams and their fans — Here we have some supporters of the La Plaine cricket team at the finals in 2004. RoSTI actively sponsors local sports teams and their fans.

Local children watch a DVD on sea turtles during pre-school month in partnership with forestry officers, La Plaine, Dominica — Local children watch a DVD on sea turtles during 'pre-school month' in partnership with forestry officers.

Supportive local Dominican police enjoy holding leatherback hatchlings on Hatchling Day, Rosalie Beach — Supportive local police enjoy holding these leatherback hatchlings.

Rowan Byrne — marine biologist and author of RoSTI: Saving Dominica's Endangered Sea Turtles

The Author

About Rowan Byrne

Rowan Byrne is an Irish marine biologist with over 30 years of fieldwork experience across the world's oceans. As Project Manager of the Rosalie Sea Turtle Initiative (RoSTI) in Dominica, he led community-based conservation efforts to protect nesting leatherback, hawksbill and green sea turtles on the island's Atlantic coast. RoSTI — Saving Dominica's Endangered Sea Turtles is his photographic record of that work.

marinecreatures.com

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RoSTI — Saving Dominica's Endangered Sea Turtles is available from marinecreatures.com.

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