It’s not ideal to bury a dead sea turtle in the first week of your first job.
Although it was a disheartening sight, my first week as a Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) member was a pivotal moment in my career choice as a marine biologist. Growing up on the island of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, the beach became my favorite place.
Once I found out I could make it my workplace, my heart was set. The YCC is a paid summer work program on U.S. public lands. I served as a YCC member in the summer of 2019, where I was introduced to the world of wildlife management at the Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge.
Our orientation started with a tour of the refuge, including the beach I already knew and loved. We learned about the 383 acres that protect sea turtles, plants and birds alike. What followed was the introduction to a crucial skill that I had no idea would become a major part of my work experience—interpreting fresh sea turtle tracks in the early morning hours to determine our total nest count on the refuge.
We identified species from the track pattern unique to the leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), green (Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) that nest on the refuge. To me, it was like being a detective, looking at all the clues left behind that paint the picture of what really happened.
By the end of the week, we understood firsthand why sea turtle conservation is necessary on our island. A dead sea turtle washed up with severe vessel strike injuries on its shell, resulting in a large open wound. It was obvious to us how speeding and the lack of education about sea turtles caused this tragedy. It took all four of us a few hours to bury the large turtle. Most of our work the rest of the summer related to sea turtles and conservation in one way or another. From removing invasive plants to installing beach marker stakes, it was hard work.
But it was also extremely fulfilling knowing that I was making a difference, not only on the lives of sea turtles but on the ocean as a whole. It was then that I became fascinated by the ecological domino effect. The way that all living things depend on each other unknowingly reflects a beauty that gives purpose to conservation. As Caribbean people, our community is what holds us together. When we start to see our natural world as part of that community, we begin to care for it with a new kind of passion that can take us to even greater heights as a community. Caribbean Heritage Month serves as a way to highlight the unseen beauty of our islands, especially in conservation, deepening our bond to the land, sea and each other.
To hear about more of Ortiz’ work, tune into the episode of “Our Wild Lives” covering conservation on the U.S. Virgin Islands, or members can log in to read the November/December 2025 magazine feature story on the topic at Today’s Wildlife Professional.
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Article by Yaira Ortiz
