Sea turtle hatchlings are emerging on local beaches

Five sea turtle species nest on Florida beaches. The loggerhead (Caretta caretta), the green turtle (Chelonia mydas), and the leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) nests can be found with regularity each season on most Florida beaches. The hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) and Kemp’s ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) nests are rare on Florida beaches. All five species of sea turtles are listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).

FWC coordinates monitoring of sea turtle nesting activity through two separate programs: The Statewide Nesting Beach Survey and the Index Nesting Beach Survey. Throughout the state, there are numerous permit holders who coordinate data collection, provide training, and compile annual survey data for research, management, and public use. The data is used to minimize the effects of human activities (e.g., coastal construction, beach renourishment, and recreation, according to FWC).

The Statewide Nesting Beach Survey (SNBS) was initiated in 1979 to document total distribution and abundance of sea turtle nesting in Florida. Approximately 228 beaches are surveyed annually, representing 835 miles of coastline. The Index Nesting Beach Survey (INBS) was started in 1989. By using standardized data collection criteria, they measure trends in the number of nests in a certain location. A summary of sea turtle distribution and nesting density throughout Florida can be viewed here.

Amelia Island Sea Turtle Watch (AISTW) is the local permit holder monitoring sea turtle activity from May 1-Aug. 31 each year. A volunteer walks a 1-mile section of beach every day marking the location of each new nest. Each nest will have a small 'Do Not Disturb' sign and a QR code for public education.

Sea turtle eggs have an incubation period of 50-60 days, which is driven by the temperature of the egg clutch. The warmer the clutch, the shorter the incubation period. The gender of a sea turtle is also determined by temperature. For loggerhead and green turtles, a temperature of 86 degrees or higher will result in a female. Temperatures below 82 degrees will produce a male sea turtle. The gender of each hatchling will not be revealed until young adulthood. Female sea turtles nest every two to three years, laying several nests in a season. Genetic research indicates that the same sea turtle will return to lay 4-6 nests in a single season.

Sea turtles hatch 1 to 3 days before they emerge from the nest onto the beach and make their way to the ocean. When a nest emerges, all the hatchlings dig out of the nest at the same time. As a group, they depend upon the cover of darkness to protect them as they crawl to the sea. The hatchlings will imprint as they crawl across the sand to the water. Then, they swim like crazy to the Gulf Stream, where they live in the sargassum seaweed for the first few years of life. Once mature, sea turtles return to the same beach where they were hatched. It is estimated that only 1-3 percent of sea turtles live to adulthood.

Sea turtle survival is threatened by natural predation, including humans, who consume turtle eggs. Commercial fishing can trap sea turtles in nets, causing them to drown. Microplastics in seawater and other litter and debris can be ingested by sea turtles, causing harm. Habitat destruction and coastal armoring can have negative effects on sea turtle nesting as well.

AISTW does not conduct turtle walks to look for and observe sea turtles nesting. They do invite the public to attend nest excavations. When a nest has emerged, AISTW will wait three days to give all the hatchlings a chance to make it out of the nest on their own. After the third day, volunteers will dig into the nest and take an inventory of the contents. They count the number of empty shells (shards) and unhatched eggs. They also count any dead hatchlings that may not have made it out of the nest.

This is the AISTW excavation schedule.

If you are visiting a beach and find sea turtles emerging from a nest, stand back and watch from a distance. Allow hatchlings to crawl to the water on their own. Do not use any lights to shine on the turtles. And, please do not touch them. If the sea turtles are heading away from the ocean, please call AISTW at 904-583-1913 for assistance.