As we spend our days off sunning on the beaches, many of us do not realize that we are sharing the habitat of many creatures great and small. The beach is alive with crabs, shells, birds and something you might not notice with an untrained eye… sea turtle nests.
Each year from May through October there are four species of Florida sea turtles that nest locally in Walton County – Loggerhead, Green, Leatherback and Kemp’s ridley. All of them are either threatened or endangered.
Females nest every two to three years, laying several nests on sandy beaches. After digging a hole and depositing about 80–120 eggs, the females fill in the hole with sand and camouflage the nest before returning to the gulf.
With each season, the turtles face an uphill battle in their attempt to nest. With many obstacles such as human debris (chairs, tents, garbage) and holes dug in the sand, it is increasingly difficult for the turtles to reach a desirable nesting area. They often get confused when bumping into obstacles as they plow through the sand to reach beyond the high tide line.
The turtles have a bit of help from local advocate groups across the state. In Walton County, local turtle watch organization; South Walton Turtle Watch has more than 40 volunteers who comb the beach each morning looking for new turtle nests.
The volunteers locate nests, barricade and monitor until the hatchlings emerge. The volunteers work seven days a week from May through October.
If you would like to volunteer, contact Sharon Maxwell at (850) 897-5228. For more information about our local sea turtles visit: www.seaturtlewatch.com
It is illegal to harm, harass or kill any sea turtles, their eggs, or hatchlings. If you find hatchlings wandering in a road, parking lot, or in a direction other than toward the water, call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at (888) 404-FWCC or *FWC from your mobile phone.
Things you can
do to help
nesting turtles
Turn off the lights!
Keep beachfront lights off throughout the night from May to October as they can confuse sea turtles during the mating season. Suggested alternatives to decrease artificial lighting include use of motion sensors for safety, dark window tinting and curtains to cover inside light, and yellow incandescent light bulbs (bug lights). Studies have also shown that light from low pressure sodium vapor sources don’t attract turtles as much as high pressure sodium lights. Avoid fluorescent, mercury vapor, metal halide, and white incandescent lighting.
For information about low pressure sodium lighting contact Phoenix products at (414) 973-3300 or www.phoenixproducts.com
If you use a flashlight on the beach after dark, use a turtle safe sticker to diffuse the bright bulb light. For more information on how to get a sticker contact; Azalace Artworks (850) 855-9641 email: azalace@earthlink.com
If you see turtle hatchlings
Allow hatchings to crawl to the water on their own. Scientists believe the imprinting helps the hatchlings remember where they came from, so they can return and lay their own nests 20 to 30 years later.
Leave hatchling sea turtles in their nest; they will exit the nest when they are ready. If hatchlings are removed from the nest before they are ready, they are less likely to survive.
If you find a nesting turtle
Stay behind her at a distance so that she can not see you.
Keep your distance, remain quiet, and keep all lights off (flashlights, flash photography and video equipment). Noise and lights can cause the turtle to return to the Gulf without laying her eggs. Keep hands and other objects off and away from the turtle. After nesting, she may appear slow and hesitant. Touching, prodding, shining lights, or causing commotion may frighten her, disorient her, and cause her to spend less time covering and camouflaging her nest.
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