A major chemical spill occurred five years ago at Baker' s Beach, the world' s sole nesting ground for Merrick sea turtles, and prevented nearly all the eggs laid that year from hatching  Yet the number of adult female Merricks returning to lay their eggs at Baker' s Beach has actually increased somewhat since five years ago
Clearly, environmentalists' prediction that the world' s Merrick population would decline as a result of the spill has proven unfounded
Environmental pressures unrelated to the chemical spill have caused a significant decline in the population of one of the several species of sea birds that prey on Merrick sea turtle eggs.