ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The first documented nest of leatherback turtles successfully hatched on Pinellas County beaches.
A video from the Clearwater Marine Aquarium shows the baby sea turtles hatching during daylight, which is rare because they tend to emerge at night. Staff from the aquarium brought the turtles in for evaluation and were later released at night to "minimize impact from heat and predation."
Carly Oakley with the aquarium said the county primarily sees loggerhead nests but this year, a nesting leatherback turtle came up on the beach.
"This was the first nest that we were actually able to document in Pinellas County," she said in a video posted on Facebook.
When staff released the baby turtles, the rest of the nest also emerged and many of the turtles were making their way to the water.
Leatherback turtles are usually found on Florida's east coast with half of leatherback nesting happening in Palm Beach County, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The turtles are named for their rubbery shell and are the largest sea turtles.
Their nesting occurs primarily from March through July and officials urge people to do their part in making sure turtles are able to make their way info the ocean safely.
Here are some things you can do to help:
- Make sure to take everything with you when you leave the beach
- Fill in holes, knock down sandcastles and take furniture off the beach
- Don’t abandon fishing gear
- Don’t disturb nesting turtles or emerging hatchlings
- Do contact Florida Fish and Wildlife Rescue to report any dead or injured marine life
- Don’t use artificial light (cell phones, flash photography, fishing lamps) on the beach at night
- If you find a turtle (adult or hatchling) in distress, call FWC at 888-404-3922
