Don't touch the turtles!

[John_B]

When I did the DiveQuest dive at Epcot, they said even the captive turtle in their aquarium was protected and the fine for touching it could be up to ten grand (note that the turtle is allowed to bump into you if it wants to, gratis).

 

[RikRaeder]

Apparently turtles suffer from Herpes. I've seen some shows where volunteer veterinarians have to cut away encrustations from around their eyes because it all scabs over and they get blinded. I'm pretty sure that this is human herpes although they mentioned they weren't sure how, exactly, the turtles got it. Probably from being touched by humans? I've seen some turtles all scabbed up, but can't say for sure that it was herpes. If you do touch the turtle, don't touch it THERE! My guess is it's better for all if the turtle isn't touched anywhere by a human.

 

[aascubagirl]

This is what I tell everyone about touching turtles:

I like turtles, I like seeing turtles, I want to show turtles to other people therefore I don't allow any diver to do anything to any turtle that might make said turtle want to avoid being seen by divers.

The example I give is that if you decide to dive down to the bottom of the pool and you have plenty of time there but someone, however briefly, puts a hand on your head, it's probably going to annoy you since you know you have to go up eventually and for a second you weren't sure if someone else was going to let you or not. That would piss me off and I'd try and avoid letting things with hands that can do that get near me the next time I want to hang out in the bottom of the pool.

Turtles are really fast underwater and can easily scoot away when they hear a group of divers coming because they've had unpleasant encounters in the past.

That's my speech and my philosophy on turtle contact.

Rachel

I have to agree w/wreckchick! When I have divers actually ask (and yes, they do ask) if they can ride a turtle, I ask them how they would like it if a) aliens invaded our planet, b) you are running down the street trying to get away from the aliens, and c) the aliens then jumped on your back. That usually puts it into perspective for them about why it might not be a good idea to try and ride a turtle.

Why not just look and enjoy?

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Apparently turtles suffer from Herpes. I've seen some shows where volunteer veterinarians have to cut away encrustations from around their eyes because it all scabs over and they get blinded. I'm pretty sure that this is human herpes although they mentioned they weren't sure how, exactly, the turtles got it. Probably from being touched by humans? I've seen some turtles all scabbed up, but can't say for sure that it was herpes. If you do touch the turtle, don't touch it THERE! My guess is it's better for all if the turtle isn't touched anywhere by a human.

A simple yahoo or google can save you from typing unfounded rumors about tumors. The virus that causes the tumors is probably partly due to human run off, but it is not considered remotely possible due to human touching.

Link found between leech, turtle tumors | The Honolulu Advertiser | Hawaii's Newspaper

The study, written by researchers from Cornell University, the National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Geological Survey, showed that of the various parasites associated with green sea turtles, only the ozobranchus leeches carry the same virus found in the tumors.

The leech joins the saddleback wrasse, a common reef cleaner fish in Hawai'i, as the only documented likely carriers of the agent causing green turtle fibropapilloma. The disease is specific to the turtle and cannot be spread to humans.

Please note that I do not touch sea turtles and the pictures I took of the same turtles daily for years were mostly ambient. My involvement in this thread is mostly for educational purposes; no need for "refer madness" type hysteria.

 

[RikRaeder]

Just relating what I saw on a nature program, as I stated. How's the weather up on that high horse? What, exactly, is "the virus" mentioned? The show I saw mentioned herpes. Is it possible that what I saw/mentioned occured somewhere other than Hawaii? Rather than deride me as spreading "refer madness," why not be educational in a non-confrontational way? I'm sure that I'm asking too much since this is the internet. Guffaw.

 

[Walter]

why not be educational in a non-confrontational way?

His post didn't sound confrontational to me. It sounded educational.

 

[spoolin01]

What, exactly, is "the virus" mentioned? The show I saw mentioned herpes. Is it possible that what I saw/mentioned occured somewhere other than Hawaii? Rather than deride me as spreading "refer madness," why not be educational in a non-confrontational way?.

I found this early 2005 report from one of the Hawaiian researchers.

http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/hfs/Globals/Products/T%20Work%20final%20Jan_05.pdf

Apparently it's an alpha herpes virus (like chicken pox and HSV1/2), but not particularly closely related to the 3 human alphaherpes viruses from the phylogenetic tree I found. The author claims it's not zoonotic - transmissable between animal and humans - so it's likely not due to a human herpes virus, whether by direct contact or elsewise.

I guess in a strict sense it's strongly suspected but not yet confirmed as the cause of the fibropapilloma in turtles, since a pure culture hasn't been achieved that could be used to reproduce the disease.

Doesn't look like this one is pinned on us yet, try as we might.

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

Purely anecdotal, but many of the homes in Keaukaha (along the coast near Hilo) used to use cesspools, but were switched to the main Hilo sewer system about 10 years ago(?). This has hopefully resulted in less untreated wastewater entering the ocean near Hilo.... and the owner of the local dive shop did mention less tumors on turtles (an, in my very-unscientific opinion I agree from what I've seen). Soooo, is there a connection with less poluted water and less tumors? Maybe... I'd like to hope so anyway.

 

[spoolin01]

Purely anecdotal, but many of the homes in Keaukaha (along the coast near Hilo) used to use cesspools, but were switched to the main Hilo sewer system about 10 years ago(?). This has hopefully resulted in less untreated wastewater entering the ocean near Hilo.... and the owner of the local dive shop did mention less tumors on turtles (an, in my very-unscientific opinion I agree from what I've seen). Soooo, is there a connection with less poluted water and less tumors? Maybe... I'd like to hope so anyway.

I read that the tumors are present on turtles all around the world, and one person involved speculated that the reduction in incidence in Hawaii was of unknown cause, but possibly due to removing the infected turtles from circulation.

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

I read that the tumors are present on turtles all around the world, and one person involved speculated that the reduction in incidence in Hawaii was of unknown cause, but possibly due to removing the infected turtles from circulation.

That would also make perfect sense. Removing a vector for transmission, i.e. the infected turtles, should reduce rate of infection if the tumors are caused by a virus carried by the turtles themselves, and not by environmental polution.

But in any case, < tumors makes me a Happy Turtle Lover