SEA TURTLE nesting season begins today! I normally enjoy seeing beautiful beach art but it can be disastrous for a female turtle in nesting season. On our island summer nights from May through October, female loggerhead turtles (and occasionally green turtles, leatherbacks and Kemps Ridley turtles) lay their eggs on the same beach where they were hatched decades earlier. Obstructions like sand castles, beach chairs, coolers or even deep sand pits can distract or injure the mother turtle or her babies after they hatch. Did you know that lights on the beach after dark can disorient adult and baby turtles? Yes, they go towards the light instead of heading to the water so they might end up in the street or parking lot. So we wont be doing any night shelling without red filters on our flashlights until fall. Not a bad price to pay for keeping baby turtles safe, huh?
Sea Turtle hatchling Photo by Susie Holly
This is information provided by the City Of Sanibel as a reminder of what you can do to protect SEA TURTLES…
By following these simple guidelines, you can do your part to ensure the survival of these magnificent creatures:
- Turn off or shield lights near the beaches. Artificial beach lighting can inhibit female sea turtles from nesting and disorient hatchlings. Most beachfront lighting issues can be addressed by turning off all unnecessary lights, repositioning or modifying light fixtures, or closing blinds and drapes.
- Remove furniture and other items from the beach and dune area, when not in use, between the hours of 9:00 P.M. and 7:00 A.M. Items left on the beach including beach furniture, toys and trash may provide barriers to nesting or result in entanglement and predation of hatchlings.
- Level all sandcastles and fill any holes dug during play. These are fine during the day but may pose additional hazards at night. Please leave the beach as you found it, so that sea turtles and hatchlings are not hindered on their way to nest or to the water.
- Pick up all trash. Sea turtles mistakenly eat debris, especially plastic, which results in death.
- Honor the leash law. All dogs on the beach must be on a leash and not allowed to disturb nesting turtles or hatchlings.
Sea turtle running for the water photo by Susie Holly
I know it’s hard to keep the little ones from digging in the sand when they spend the day on the beach but if we remember to try to fill the holes back i that should help the baby turtles survive. Also, please remove your trash from the beach when you are leaving it and like Pam says – don’t leave your beach chairs and such on the beach overnight.
Thank you to all who volunteer and walk the beach each day looking for obstacles and trying to keep the turtles safe for the next generation
The baby turtles in the photos are adorable! :-)
But Daddy! I want a turtle, I mean, Oompha Loompha too!
I love to read your web page. We come down twice a year from Texas. One other thing about the Turtles is when you see the stakes on the beach with yellow tape around them stay clear it is a nest site. Thanks for everything you share with us that don’t live in Sanibel.
Thanks for posting all this Pam, it’s very important to try to allow these fascinating animals to continue to live on the planet. Turtles are great!
love checking out your web-page, seeing your photos. we’re up here in va. beach, va. and lifelong visitors to the outer banks of nc, the sea turtles are beloved and protected up here too. thanks for sharing this info.
The turtles are nesting early this year. Although my night shelling is curtailed until Nov 1st – these amazing creatures are totally worth it. And Hey! Who else is excited about Super Moon Saturday?
(PS – I still night shell but the red filter on my flashlight is just not the same)
Happy turtle breeding season!! Thanks to everyone who takes the time to volunteer & protect these beautiful creatures!!!
Good luck lil guys!!
Mar
On our way to Sanibel this Friday for two weeks. How lucky can you get? Pam, you are the reason I love shelling so much. Thanks!