These 10 Sea turtle nesting season tips can help the species
CLEARWATER, FL (April 15, 2024) – It’s almost May and that means it’s sea turtle nesting season, announced sea turtle biologists at Clearwater Marine Aquarium. The season officially begins April 15 and runs through Oct. 31 according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission(FWC), which is a critical time for sea turtles who continue their legacy and return to the original beach where they were born, to lay their eggs.
Loggerheads, leatherbacks, green sea turtles, Kemp’s ridley and hawksbills – all of which are threatened or endangered species – all make their nests along beaches in the state of Florida.
“We want to remind locals, new residents and tourists, that the nesting season is here, and to be attentive when visiting the beach during this special time,” said CMA’s new Sea Turtle Conservation Program Manager Wendy Hoeflich.
Last season, CMA totaled 227 nests found in its 21-mile stretch of beaches they monitor each morning at 6 a.m. Hoeflich and her team of eight staff, along with volunteers and college interns are trained each year to carefully monitor the beach seven days a week, looking for signs of turtle tracks that show a female turtle has nested nearby.
She reminds the public that it’s important not to interact with turtle hatchlings, as they are protected by state and federal laws. CMA reports annual nesting data to the FWC and Pinellas County, including found nests, false crawl counts, disorientation events, obstruction events, predation and vandalism – all which threaten endangered turtles.
The public can help protect turtles with remembering these tips:
10 Sea Turtle Nesting Season Tips
1. Pick up your trash, especially plastic bags, which can be mistaken for jellyfish, one of turtles’ favorite foods
2. Fill any holes dug during your stay on the beach
3. Knock down sand castles at the end of the day
4. Hatchling sea turtles are very sensitive and should not be disturbed
5. If you see a turtle on the beach, please do not interact with it
6. Never touch or disturb a nest
7. Keep flashlights and camera phone lights turned off at night
8. Beach residents and businesses should change outdoor lights to sea turtle friendly options
9. Use special protective window treatments on doors and windows to minimize interior light from reaching the beach
10. If you see an injured turtle, call the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline at (888) 404-3922
Other ways to help
Sea Turtle Friendly Lighting:
“A big challenge we face is encouraging residents and businesses to use sea turtle friendly lighting to reduce the number of sea turtles crawling away from the water or wandering on the beach due to the presence of bright artificial lights,” said Hoeflich. The team provides educational resources to show which types of lights are less distracting to turtles and works with other agencies to inform the public.
Protect the Nest Program:
CMA also offers a Protect the Nest Program which allows the public to purchase a personalized plaque and virtually adopt a sea turtle nest for the year to protect nests in CMA’s survey area. The wooden, turtle-shaped plaques are affixed to a nest during the season and will be returned at the end of the season to the purchasing individual or family. Visit protectnest.org for more details.
If you’d like to learn more about Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s sea turtle nesting program, please visit CMA’s website at Sea turtle conservation program page.
All marine turtle footage taken in Florida was obtained with the approval of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) under conditions not harmful to marine turtles. Footage was acquired while conducting authorized conservation activities pursuant to FWC MTP-24/25-263 and MTP-24/25-013.
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Media Contact: Marsha Strickhouser | mstrickhouser@CMAquarium.org | (727) 242-0770
- About Clearwater Marine Aquarium
- Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit working marine rescue center dedicated to inspiring the human spirit through leadership in education, research, rescue, rehabilitation and release. With a mission to preserve the environment and its marine life, CMA is home to rescued dolphins, sea turtles, river otters, stingrays, a nurse shark and more. Through Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute, CMA conducts important global research focused on protecting manatees, North Atlantic right whales and sea turtles. Major motion picture Dolphin Tale (2011) and its sequel Dolphin Tale 2 (2014) features the true stories of rescued resident dolphins Winter and Hope, inspiring millions around the world. The mission and potential to change people’s lives differentiates Clearwater Marine Aquarium from any other aquarium in the world.
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We believe in preserving our environment while inspiring the human spirit through leadership in the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of marine life; environmental education; research; and conservation.
A Florida non-profit 501(c)(3) organization