Florida is home to many amazing animals from the forests to the ocean. In Tallahassee, we get to see local wildlife from the woods while still being close enough to experience ocean creatures after a short drive. As you enjoy the beach this season, look out for sea turtles!
There are five sea turtle species known to visit Florida beaches, including loggerhead, green, leatherback, hawksbill, and Kemp’s ridley. Unfortunately, the population for each of these has declined, resulting in all of them now being endangered. These sea turtles range widely in size. The smallest species, Kemp’s ridley, weighs on average 75-100 pounds and spans about 2-3 feet in length. The largest sea turtle is the leatherback, which can weigh in at over 1,000 pounds and be 6-8 feet long.
As the weather cools and you spend more time on the sand than in the water, be mindful of where you set up and how you leave the area. The nesting season for sea turtles is March through October. Wildlife professionals and volunteers do their best to identify and mark existing turtle nests. If you think you may have spotted one that is not marked, call a professional to investigate and mark it if needed. Do your part by keeping distance between your site and the nest to prevent attracting predators or unintentionally causing obstructions in the hatchlings’ path to sea.
Sea turtle hatchlings have a big task to undertake in order to survive. They crawl over the uneven terrain of the sand from their nest to the ocean. This journey must be done in a timely manner to avoid dehydration. They also face predators, such as birds and raccoons, in their path. Most hatchlings leave the nest in the middle of night when the temperature is the coolest and they do not have the sun increasing the risk and rate of dehydration. They use the moon as their guide to get to the ocean, and artificial light disrupts this process. If you stay in a beach-front property, turn off outside lights and use black-out curtains to help with light pollution. If you have the opportunity to witness hatchlings journeying to sea, observe the wonder of nature, but keep your distance. Human interference almost always does more harm than good for wildlife. In fact, it is illegal to disturb or touch sea turtles. If you see a sea turtle in distress, call a professional to help.
While you should leave interactions to the professionals, there are ways you can help. As mentioned above, avoid artificial light pollution. Leave the beach like you found it or better. Remove all items, including furniture, from the shore each evening. If you had fun constructing a castle or digging to sea level, have your construction crew do some demolition work too to restore the shore before you leave. Fill in holes made by umbrellas, chairs, or buckets and shovels to avoid hatchlings falling into them on their way to the water. In addition, when fishing, clean up all your gear, especially hooks and fishing line, which easily entangles wildlife like turtles. Doing these simple tasks can help sea turtles make it to sea, where they will hopefully live long lives and grow to produce more sea turtles to be enjoyed for generations. 
Kimberly McMahon
Home & Yard Magazine
