Leatherback nests are rare findings on the Gulf Coast of Florida
CLEARWATER, FL (July 19, 2024) – Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s sea turtle nesting team documented a rare Leatherback sea turtle nest in Pinellas County back in May. Last week the CMA team found that the Leatherback turtle nest had hatched!
Finding a Leatherback nest is extremely rare on the Gulf coast of Florida. With the exception of a few nests on the West Coast, Leatherbacks nest exclusively on the East Coast, with most of them in Palm Beach County, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
“Here in Pinellas County we primarily see loggerhead nests, but this year we were very lucky to have a nesting leatherback turtle come up on our beaches,” said Carly Oakley, manager of the Sea Turtle Conservation Program at Clearwater Marine Aquarium.
“So, this was the first nest we were actually able to document here in Pinellas County. Everyday, we patrol 21 miles of beach and we start 30 minutes before sunrise. While we are out on the beaches we are looking for crawls from the moms that emerge from the night before.
The CMA team was able to witness the hatch first hand, during the day time, which is also rare. The hatchlings that emerged earlier in the day were held at CMA until later in the evening at the request of Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
While the team was releasing the hatchlings from earlier in the day, the remainder of the nest hatched. They were able to experience the entire boil or emergence of sea turtles -and monitor their journey to the water.
“I feel super privileged to have the honor to document yet another species throughout my nesting experience. Seeing the leatherback all the way through from the day it was laid to the day it hatched, even through the inventory, was a great experience for me and my professional career.”
CMA reminds residents and visitors that we are currently in the middle of sea turtle nesting season for several species of sea turtles:
- All beachgoers should keep a respectful distance from sea turtle nest markers to help ensure the safety of the eggs and future hatchlings.
- Beachgoers should be careful not to leave trash and belongings on the beach;
- Be sure to fill in holes in the sand and knock over sand castles at the end of day;
- Homeowners should keep shades drawn at night to keep turtles from;
- Do not shine flashlights or use lights on the beach at night.
How many leatherback turtles have been seen on the West Coast, East Coast of Florida
- In 2023 Pinellas and Sarasota county both recorded 0 nests.
- In 2023 there were four nests found on West Coast, all in the panhandle.
- In 2023 the East coast of Florida recorded 1,647 leatherback turtle nests
- (https://myfwc.com/media/1arpehxs/leatherbacknestingdata5years.pdf)
Leatherback Facts:
- Adults can reach about 4 to 8 feet in length and can weigh between 700 and 2,000 pounds
- Estimated that they can live for 45-50 years.
- Can be found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans
- They can dive about 4,000 feet down
- Can hold their breath for up to 85 minutes.
- Florida is the only state in the U.S. where they nest since they tend to gravitate towards tropical latitudes for nesting.
- Leatherbacks can’t chew or crush things with their mouths instead they have sharp-edged jaws and pointed tooth-like cusps that helps them catch their softer prey such as jellyfish and scallops
- https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/leatherback-turtle
- https://myfwc.com/research/about/archive/turtle-nesting/
- https://myfwc.com/research/wildlife/sea-turtles/nesting/leatherback/
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 MTP-22/23-013A and MTP-22/23-263B.
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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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