Winter 2002
The Carr
Companion
The newsletter of the Friends of the Carr Refuge
The Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge authorized by an act of Congress in 1989, is a twenty and one half mile stretch of beach, on the Southeast "\ coast of Florida. This refuge hosts the largest concentration of nesting loggerhead and green sea turtles in the United States. It is the second most important nesting site in the world for loggerhead turtles. The Refuge protects animal species by preserving the coastal habitat on which they depend; and is also a place for public recreation and education. The Refuge, named for the late Dr. Archie Carr, honors his lifetime commitment to conservation and research.
Refuge Reports: Status of Sea Turtle Research Buildings
The buildings used by the University of Central Florida Sea Turtle Research Group were originally purchased by the Richard King Mellon Foundation, and donated to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in December of 2000. These buildings are located within the Carr Refuge, a few hundred yards south of Driftwood Plaza. As a result of the ongoing severe beach erosion, which took place last Fall, the building directly on the ocean lost its seawall and its foundation became undermined. Due to its unsafe condition, it became necessary to demolish it. Demolition began on December 3, 2001, and took one week to remove the building and its foundation, the sea wall, which had collapsed onto the beach, and an adjacent swimming pool. The USF&WS, which leases the building to the UCF, relocated the Sea Turtle Research Group to the building located closer to the road. However, this building will require some modification in order to house the number of students who do much of the research in the Refuge. The Friends of the Carr Refuge (FOCR) has offered to provide the funding for the material required to make the necessary modifications. USF&WS personnel and volunteers will perform the labor.
Beach Renourishment
A beach renourishment project is scheduled to begin within the southernmost section of the Carr Refuge in November of 2002. The project will take place in Indian River County, beginning in the Sebastian Inlet State Recreation Area and extending south approximately two miles. This area has the highest density of sea turtle nests in the southern section of the Refuge (south of the Sebastian Inlet). Also of concern is any possible damage to the near shore reefs due to sand coverage. Dr. Ehrhart and his Sea Turtle Research Group have documented that a large population of juvenile green sea turtles uses these near shore reefs- for foraging. The Indian River County Public Works Department believes that they have planned the renourishment so that the minimum area of near shore reefs will be
affected. They anticipate that only 3.8 acres out of a total of 440 acres of reef will be affected. Unfort"Llnately", the area of reef expected to be affected, is that most utilized for foraging, but is also the area of beach most in need of sand.
The renourishment, planned for the beach in the Town of Melbourne Beach, is scheduled to begin in February of 2002. This area is just to the north of the Carr Refuge and should have minimal impact on the Refuge.
Critter Corner: Sharks
As part of their research in the Refuge, the UCF Sea Turtle Research Group nets juvenile green turtles in the Indian River Lagoon. The lagoon has a larg~ foraging population of these turtles about a mile south of the Sebastian Inlet. Many of these turtles have fibropapillomas (debilitating tumors), which is a serious health threat to the turtle. As a result of their ongoing studies, Dr. Ehrhart has noticed an increased incidence in the capture of bull sharks and rays over the last few years. However, this passed summer, two tiger sharks (one approximately 7.5 feet and the other 6.5 feet) were caught in their nets. Dr. Ehrhart tells us that after a review of available scientific journals of animal populations found in the lagoon, this appears to be the first recorded instance of tiger sharks being found in the lagoon. It is known that tiger sharks are a major sea turtle predator.
Join the "friends":
If you would like to help support the goals of the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge, you can obtain a brochure and application at the Sea Turtle Preservation Society office, located in the Indialantic shopping center on Highway AlA, or call 676-1701 and an application will be mailed to you.
Who to Call for Information:
Friend of the Carr Refuge: 1-321-676-1701 Web Site: http://www.nbbd.com/npr/fcr Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge: 1-561-562-3909 ext. 258