Volunteers help make 2019 a great year for Amelia Island sea turtles

Submitted by Suanne Z. Thamm

September 29, 2019

Photo credit: AmeliaIsland.com

Preliminary indications are that 2019 has been a bumper year for sea turtles on Amelia Island, and it is not quite over yet.  Turtle activist Mary Duffy has reported that this year the Amelia Island Sea Turtle Watch (AISW) marked 304 turtle nests in the 9 miles of beach between Fort Clinch and the State Park on the south end of Amelia Island.  About 140 volunteers helped with data collection.

Loggerhead and green turtles nest on Amelia Island.  The first loggerhead nest was tagged on May 5, with the last on August 9.  The first green turtle nest was located on June 4, with the last nest on August 14.  The average incubation time for both was 54 days.  While almost all the nests have hatched, the AISW is still keeping an eye on a few.

AISW has also reported the following preliminary statistics:

• 297 loggerhead nests
• 7 green turtle nets
• 96 loggerhead false crawls (abandoned nesting attempt)
• 4 green false crawls (abandoned nesting attempt)
• 9 nests were disoriented by artificial beachfront lighting (800 – 900 hatchlings lost)
• 1 nest was destroyed by a coyote
• 68 nests were lost to erosion (multiple high tides and effects of Hurricane Dorian)
• 21,165 hatchlings emerged from nests

To learn more about sea turtles nesting on Amelia Island and volunteer efforts to identify and monitor their nests, visit http://www.ameliaislandseaturtlewatch.com.  There you can find lots of information on what to do — and not to do — to protect sea turtles.

AISW reminds beachgoers who come across an injured or dead sea turtle to call the Amelia Island Sea Turtle Watch, Inc. at 904-583-1913.

Editor's Note: Suanne Z. Thamm is a native of Chautauqua County, NY, who moved to Fernandina Beach from Alexandria,VA, in 1994. As a long time city resident and city watcher, she provides interesting insight into the many issues that impact our city. We are grateful for Suanne's many contributions to the Fernandina Observer.