05/05/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/05/2025 08:41
Published on May 05, 2025
It's sea turtle nesting season, now through Oct. 31. Clearwater Code Compliance is responding to reports along Clearwater Beach of sea turtles getting disoriented when they hatch, due to being drawn to lights along the shoreline. The hatchlings are climbing over sand dunes and into parking lots, which threaten their survival. If you live along the beach, keep your lights low or off to protect them.
This is a critical time for sea turtles, which continue their legacy and return to the original beaches from where they were born to lay their eggs. Loggerheads, leatherbacks, green sea turtles, Kemp's ridleys and hawksbills - all of which are threatened or endangered - make their nests along Florida's beaches.
In 2024, 423 loggerhead, green, and leatherback sea turtle nests were identified across Pinellas County, with each nest holding roughly 100 to 150 eggs. By comparison, 597 additional tracks were recorded last year from turtles that did not lay eggs. This highlights why it is so important to allow sea turtles to approach beaches and nest undisturbed.
"We want to remind locals, new residents and tourists, that the nesting season is here, and to be attentive when visiting the beach during this special time," said CMA's new Sea Turtle Conservation Program Manager Wendy Hoeflich.
She reminds the public that it's important not to interact with turtle hatchlings, as they are protected by state and federal laws. CMA reports annual nesting data to the FWC and Pinellas County, including found nests, false crawl counts, disorientation events, obstruction events, predation and vandalism - all of which threaten endangered turtles.
"A big challenge we face is encouraging residents and businesses to use sea turtle-friendly lighting to reduce the number of sea turtles crawling away from the water or wandering on the beach due to the presence of bright artificial lights," said Hoeflich. The team provides educational resources to show which types of lights are less distracting to turtles and works with other agencies to inform the public.
CMA also offers a Protect the Nest Program which allows the public to purchase a personalized plaque and virtually adopt a sea turtle nest for the year to protect nests in CMA's survey area. The wooden, turtle-shaped plaques are affixed to a nest during the season and will be returned at the end of the season to the purchasing individual or family. Visit protectnest.org for more details.
If you'd like to learn more about Clearwater Marine Aquarium's sea turtle nesting program, please visit CMA's website at Sea turtle conservation program page.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit working marine rescue center dedicated to inspiring the human spirit through leadership in education, research, rescue, rehabilitation and release. With a mission to preserve the environment and its marine life, CMA is home to rescued dolphins, sea turtles, river otters, stingrays, a nurse shark and more. Through Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute, CMA conducts important global research focused on protecting manatees, North Atlantic right whales and sea turtles. Major motion picture Dolphin Tale (2011) and its sequel Dolphin Tale 2 (2014) features the true stories of rescued resident dolphins Winter and Hope, inspiring millions around the world. The mission and potential to change people's lives differentiates Clearwater Marine Aquarium from any other aquarium in the world.