It’s the beginning of May, and with May comes these beautiful creatures from the sea. It’s the beginning of nesting season for loggerhead turtles along the west coast of Florida.
The Loggerhead Sea turtle is classified as an endangered species, protected under federal law. The Loggerhead is Florida’s most prominent sea turtle species, with reddish-brown shells and large heads. Adult turtles typically weigh between 200 to 400 pounds and reach three and a half feet in length. The loggerheads can be found in subtropical and temperate oceans. With Florida’s sandy Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico beaches, our location hosts one of the largest loggerhead nesting aggregations in the world. (link four)
Every 2 to 3 years, loggerhead sea turtles will have their nesting season from May to September. Their nesting season correlates with the mating season, which occurs shortly after from late March to early June. They lay about four to seven nests, with each laid approximately every 14 days. Turtle nests contain 100 to 126 eggs that incubate in about 60 days.
The first nest of this season has been found in Venice Beach, Florida. But it isn’t only eggs that these sea turtles bring with them. Tourism comes for these magnificent creatures, many populating the coastline of Naples beaches. But with the increase of people coming for vacation, it creates more problems for these turtles.
However, there are some ways that people can help these turtles.
Do’s :
- Remain quiet and remain at a distance if you encounter a nest
- Shield or turn off lights on beaches at night to help the hatchlings
- Fill in holes that may trap or get in the way for the hatchlings
- Remove beach furniture that may have been left on the beach
Don’ts:
- Stay away from the nest
- Do not put any foreign objects in the nests, it may infect the egg with bacteria
- If you see a turtle laying her eggs, stay away from them. Sea turtles, especially loggerheads, have extremely strong jaws.
- Don’t uses bright lights like flashlights or fishing lamps at night
