Turtle Nesting Season

It’s nesting season for sea turtles

Since this is a blog that has turtles in the title, it’s only appropriate that I discuss turtles, other than the one I keep trying to pass at turtle speed.

There was a story in the local newspaper the other day about beach goers at Englewood Beach who discovered a loggerhead turtle nesting in broad daylight. Florida residents who live along the Gulf Coast know (or at least they should) that it’s turtle nesting season in Florida, from May 1 to Oct 31. Loggerhead turtles along with green sea turtles generally nest at night, so it was quite a sight for the people who discovered the activity and remained a respectful distance away.

Each year, the beaches along Manasota Key in Charlotte and Sarasota counties register record numbers of nests according to the counts kept by the Coastal Wildlife Club. So far this year, they have noted “1,017 loggerhead sea turtle nests, 12 green sea turtle nests and one verified Kemp’s ridley nest,” according to the story in the paper. The Kemp’s ridley is one of the rarest sea turtles, all of which are either threatened or endangered.

I’ve seen plenty of nests during my visits to the beach, which volunteers designate with yellow stakes and tape. And while I’ve never seen a loggerhead turtle in the wild, I have seen them at Mote Marine in Sarasota, a world-class research facility on ocean life. If you’re ever fortunate enough to visit Sarasota, this is one place to put on your tour list.

And along that vein, if you visit an area where these magnificent sea turtles nest, respect the area and don’t bother it. The nests face enough danger from natural predators like raccoons and fox. Then, when the hatchlings are born, it’s another struggle for them to reach the ocean; things as simple as an unshielded light on a condo can easily distract them on their journey to water. It’s not unusual to read stories each year of hatchlings that became confused and are found on a local road.

Okay, it’s raining outside today, so I don’t feel inclined to go outside and race that turtle. He can have the victory. That’s life at turtle speed.