sea turtle nesting season
Sea Turtle Nesting Season (March - October) is underway on Greater Fort Lauderdale's beaches -- and these ancient mariners need all the help they can get. Nearly 90% of sea turtle nesting in the U.S. occurs in Florida. From March through October these creatures will return to their home beaches to lay eggs. Greater Fort Lauderdale's coastal residents and beach visitors can help sea turtles during the nesting season by keeping beaches clean, being aware of nesting sites and reducing artificial lighting near beaches that can distract and confuse mothers and hatchlings. Sea turtle hatchlings use light and reflections from the moon to find their way to the water at night. Artificial lighting discourages adult females from nesting on the beach. Click here for info on Broward County Sea Turtle Conservation Program.
more... Turtles deposit approximately 100 golf-ball size eggs, gently cover the eggs with sand and then they spread sand over a wide area to obscure the exact location of the chamber. They then leave the nest site and reenter the water. Since adult sea turtles do not nurture their hatchlings, the female never sees the nest site again. A single female may nest several times during a season and then not nest again for one or two years. Approximately half of all emergences result in a female crawling on the beach for long distances and reentering the water without digging a nest. These are called "false crawls" and usually occur because the turtle was disturbed or it could not find a suitable nest site. The crawl tracks left on the beach are always made by female sea turtles and they resemble marks left by a tractor tire. Male sea turtles never leave the ocean. Incubation of the nests takes about 45-55 days. Here in Broward County the eggs that are deposited in the chambers are either left to incubate naturally or are moved, (relocated) to a safer area of the beach. Some of the nests are relocated because of the extent of the development on our beaches and the bright lights from condos, streets, and highway traffic. The relocation process serves to protect the emerging hatchlings so they can exit the nest and traverse the beach to the water on their own. Nests that are not moved are those that are already on safe beaches. After incubation, the hatchlings emerge from the nest en masse and, using various environmental and inherited cues, quickly migrate to the water's edge. If artificial lights are lighting the beach, the hatchlings will be disoriented, travel in the wrong direction, and possibly never make it to the water. Once in the water the hatchlings swim directly out to sea, facing a perilous struggle to survive to adulthood. The best scientific estimates available indicate that only one in 1,000 hatchlings will survive (anywhere from 12-50 years) to become a reproductive adult sea turtle.
protecting thehatchlings
sunny interests
1. lights out
2. clean up trash
3. nesting areas
4. go organic
5. volunteer!
5 ways to save sea turtles
Turn Out Lights! Hatchlings use light and reflections from the moon to find their way to the water. Lights discourage turtles from nesting on the beach and cause confusion for hatchlings, putting them in danger heading inland instead of out to sea.
reduce your garbage on the beach
Sea turtles can become tangled in plastic and trash both on the shore and in the water.
Discarded items such as fishing lines, balloons and plastic bags may also be confused for food and eaten by sea turtles, often resulting in injury or death.
avoid nesting and hatching turtles
Sea turtles are tempting to touch and observe, but flashlights and people disturb them. Give nesting areas plenty of space, and do not disturb females as they emerge from the ocean looking to nest. Avoid hatchlings as they head to water.
reduce chemical usage
The chemicals you use on your lawn and in your home can actually wash into the coastal waters, killing plants and animals. Make sure to properly dispose of toxic chemicals and find alternative products such as biodegradable solutions.
become a citizen scientist
Organize a clean-up day, clear the beach of litter, give a presentation at your school on how to save sea turtles and talk to others about how to make sure they are not putting these cute creatures in danger.
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