VENICE, Fla. — Members of Mote Marine Laboratory’s Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program rejoiced after they found a sea turtle nest Sunday on Venice Beach, marking the first of the season.
Days before the season officially kicks in on May 1, Mote Laboratory’s Sea Turtle Patrol has been scanning 35 miles of beach — from Longboat Key to Venice — in search of the first signs of new turtle life.
This Sunday, members of the program found a nest belonging to a loggerhead sea turtle, which is a threatened species protected under federal law, according to a Mote news release.
The nesting season is a perfect time for researchers to record and examine when turtles build nests, how frequently they’re built, the number of eggs that surface in each nest and how the nest locations are chosen, among other things. Researchers usually mark each nest with yellow stakes and flags when they work as part of a decades-old tradition, according to the release.
Researchers say it’s no surprise to find a loggerhead nest on a beach along the Florida Gulf Coast; however, it is a moment when endangered species like green sea turtles and Kemp’s ridleys appear on southwest Florida beaches, too, the release said.
Last year, researchers found more nests than usual — almost 4,300 nests — which is a notable increase on local beaches in recent years.
Despite the excitement, the lab urges people to be mindful and treat nests with great care if and when they see them.
“Now that we have identified the first nest of the season, we implore beachgoers to be conscious of the sea turtles while enjoying Florida’s unparalleled beaches,” the program’s senior biologist and manager Melissa Macksey said in a statement.
Mote wants you to keep these few things in mind to help keep local sea turtles safe:
Dos:
- If you encounter a nesting turtle or hatchlings, remain quiet and observe from a distance.
- Shield or turn off outdoor lights that are visible on the beach from May through October.
- Close drapes after dark and stack beach furniture at the dune line or, ideally, remove it from the beach.
- Fill in holes that may entrap hatchlings on their way to the water.
Don’ts:
- Approach nesting turtles or hatchlings, make noise or shine lights at turtles.
- Use flashlights or fishing lamps on the beach.
- Encourage a turtle to move while nesting or pick up hatchlings that have emerged and are heading for the water.
- Use fireworks on the beach.
For more details, Mote encourages you to refer to local sea turtle ordinances, including Sarasota County’s marine turtle protection code (which includes Lido, Siesta, Casey, and Manasota Keys), the City of Venice marine turtle protection ordinance, and the Town of Longboat Key marine turtle protection ordinance. An updated Longboat Key ordinance took effect in 2022. For questions about any sea turtle code or ordinance, contact code enforcement staff from each municipality.