Turtle release & make way for the hatchlings!

Last updated August 1, 2017
Have you been keeping up with our Turtle Patrol Facebook page? Last month, we shared pictures of morning patrols as well as a few links with the dates/times of public turtle releases and nest cleanings. If you love turtles like we do, it’s something you shouldn’t miss! Check out the photo below and click here for more pics from one of last month’s releases. 
Picture
July 7, 2017 release of Loggerhead Sea Turtle on Ponce Inlet beach.
Also, a big thank you goes out to everyone who has been doing their part to support the turtles this summer! To those of you who grab trash items off the beach, fill in holes dug in the sand, and keep your lights out at night… THANK YOU! As the beginning of the season brought mama turtles to shore, we’re now into turtle hatchling season. Keep up the hard work and together we can keep those mamas and babies safe!
~ The Volusia/Flagler Turtle Patrol 

August Fact of the Month...

August through November is Washback Season. When baby sea turtles hatch and emerge from their nests, they head for the ocean and swim toward the Sargasso Sea. There they find food and shelter from predators among the sargassum seaweed. They will live among the seaweed for the first few years of their lives as they strengthen and grow. When storms and strong winds occur, clumps of seaweed may be “washed back” from the Sargasso Sea to our beaches. Young, post-hatchling, sea turtles (weeks to months old) that end up back on the beach among the seaweed are called “washbacks.” While your first instinct may be to place them back in the water, that’s not the best way to help them. They may be weak, exhausted or dehydrated and in need of medical care. If you find a washback, please call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at 1-800-404-FWCC (3922).
For more information, click here to read Volusia County’s “Seaweed Secrets Solved.”

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.