TALLAHASSEE – Sea turtle nesting has begun in Florida and will continue through the
end of October. On May 8, a loggerhead sea turtle nest was discovered at the
Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve beach. The nest was spotted by the reserve's sea turtle patrol, a
volunteer-based effort for monitoring and evaluating sea turtle nests. In
April, these volunteers began monitoring and evaluating this season's nests on
the reserve’s beach, seven days a week.
Florida's shallow bays and estuaries provide
important habitats for
threatened and endangered sea turtles. The Sunshine State accounts for
90
percent of sea turtle nests in the continental United States and five of
the
world’s seven beach-nesting species of sea turtles, including the
loggerhead, green turtle, leatherback, hawksbill and the rarest and most
endangered sea turtle
- the Kemp’s ridley.
“Sea turtles are part of Florida’s unique and dynamic natural
environment," said Kevin Claridge, director of DEP's Florida Coastal Office. "They are a vibrant part of what makes this state so special. We know people
love turtles and every beach-goer can help increase their survival rate during
nesting and hatching season.”
Residents are most likely to encounter the
loggerhead sea turtle, named for its prominently featured block-like
head. The Florida Fish and
Wildlife Conservation Commission report that the contiguous beaches from
Brevard to Palm Beach counties are the most important loggerhead nesting
sites
in the Western Hemisphere. These beaches typically see 15,000 nesting
loggerheads
in a year. Overall, Florida can expect 40,000 to 60,000 sea turtle nests
by
season’s end.
Adult female sea turtles can come from as far as the West Coast of
Africa to breed and nest on Florida beaches. A typical female may lay 85-120
ping-pong sized eggs in one sitting and repeat this process up to eight times
in one nesting season. Once deposited, incubation lasts for approximately two
months.
To minimize disturbance to nesting sea turtles, residents and visitors are
advised to heed the following tips:
-
Use sea turtle friendly lighting. Use
low-power and low-frequency lighting angled downward to the ground. Residents
and establishments close to the beach should pay special attention to cover
fixtures as much as possible and keep them off when not needed;
- Refrain from fire and fireworks;
-
Keep the beach clear. Do not litter or
leave behind beach equipment. Demolish sandcastles and fill in holes. Consider
cleaning up litter spotted around you;
- Respect zones around nests and on the dunes.
Keep back to avoid accidentally stepping on eggs;
-
DO NOT disturb females while they nest.
Feel free to observe from a safe distance without making excessive noise;
-
Report sightings to 1-800-404-FWCC.
Workers and volunteers can mark off the area to help prevent inadvertent
damage; and
- If you spot a stranded or trapped female
turtle call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at
1-800-404-FWCC.
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