|
Turtle Nesting Season is Here!What to do if you see a Sea Turtle NestSea Turtle Nesting Season begins May 1st through October 31st. The yellow markers and netting mean a sea turtle has deposited her eggs in the sand!
Green turtles and huge Leatherbacks also nest on Florida shores. Turtles don’t reach maturity for 15 to 50 years. Scientists believe that only 1 in 1,000 to 10,000 babies will survive to adulthood. Don’t disturb a turtle that is crawling on the beach or laying eggs. Watch from a distance of at least 30 feet. Avoid shining lights on the beach at night as this may frighten nesting females and confuse the hatchlings’ ability to find the sea. For more information, call St. Johns Habitat Conservation at 904-209-3740. In a wildlife emergency, call St. Johns Sheriff Dispatch at 904-824-8304. |
All sea turtles are endangered, but Loggerheads are most commonly seen on our beaches. Hatchlings—only about 2 inches long—wait until the sand cools at night before scrambling to the water where they spend several years in floating beds of seaweed.
