Turtle nests on Aruba falling by 5 percent every year

The number of turtles laying eggs on the beaches of Aruba is decreasing by 5 percent annually, said Aruba's minister of nature, Ursell Arends. She made the announcement on Thursday after reviewing research by Stichting Turtugaruba, a local nature organization.

The group counts the number of turtles on the beaches every year. Arends called upon Aruban society to do more to ensure that a greater number of turtles can safely reach the coasts again.

This could mean holding fewer beach parties at night, more frequent beach clean-ups, and reducing bright lights along the coast. In this way, Arends said she hopes to increase the growth of the four different turtle species that are regularly seen on the island.

The number of turtle nests found on the island is recorded annually. In 2009 there were still 154 nests counted, but in recent years this has fallen to a few dozen.