Nesting Season has Arrived!

Last updated May 1, 2018
Picture(Click image to enlarge.)
The waiting is over! We are very excited to report that today is the the official start of the 2018 turtle nesting season for the Volusia/Flagler Turtle Patrol! We will begin patrolling beaches daily to look for turtle crawls and mark nests laid by mama turtles. If you're an early riser and come across tracks (or a nest) before we get there, please be sure not to disturb them so that we can accurately identify and record the tracks and cordon off the nests. Want to find out more about exactly what we do on patrol? Check out our About Us section.

So, how do we get the party started? With the 11th Annual Turtle Fest, of course! We hope you plan on joining us for a day of education, fun, and friendship on May 5 from 10am-4pm at Veterans Park in Flagler Beach! Click here for more info on what goes on at Turtle Fest.
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~ The Volusia/Flagler Turtle Patrol ​​​

P.S. If you haven't already, you can check out the photos from the 2018 Turtle Trek 5K by clicking here. ​

May Fact of the Month...

When mama turtles come to shore to lay their eggs, they leave tell-tale tracks in the sand. These tracks are called Turtle Crawls. To the untrained eye, they may look like large tire tracks coming out of the ocean and headed up toward the shore. By patrolling the beaches each morning, we can look at these tracks and do a little detective work. We can tell how many turtles came to nest in a night, what species of turtle made the tracks, approximately how big the mama turtles were and whether they were successful in digging a nest or went back to the water before doing so. Want to become a junior sleuth and try to identify tracks on the beach yourself? Click here for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's guide to Crawl Identification. (Just take care not to disturb them before we get there!)
If you come across a nesting sea turtle on our beaches, please keep your distance and do not disturb her.
​She may become spooked and return to the water before laying her eggs.

If you find a sick or injured sea turtle, please do not place it back in the water.
Call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at 1-888-404-FWCC (3922) for assistance.

FLORIDA SEA TURTLES
There are 5 species of sea turtles found along Florida's Beaches.

LOGGERHEAD

The Loggerhead Turtle is the most common turtle on  our beaches. She is named for her immense, block-like head and strong jaws.

LEATHERBACK

The Leatherback Turtle is the largest turtle. She has a leathery shell, can reach up to 7 feet in length and weigh up to 1,500 pounds.

GREEN

The Green Turtle gets her name from the color of her fat. She is an herbivore, eating plants, sea grasses,
​ and algae.

HAWKSBILL

The Hawksbill Turtle has a beautiful, distinct carapace (shell). It is  tortoiseshell in color and almost heart-shaped. 

KEMP'S RIDLEY

The Kemp's Ridley is the most endangered sea turtle in the world. She is relatively small, weighing less than 100 pounds.