Hazardous Holes in the Sand
We understand that everyone likes to have fun on the beach. We do, too! But a recent TikTok challenge is causing a dangerous situation for sea turtles and humans alike. The challenge involves digging large holes on the beach. We'd like you to consider forgoing the challenge to save turtles and humans from injury. As you can see by the turtle tracks in the photo below, mama turtle emerged from the ocean to come to shore to lay her eggs. Unfortunately, she encountered and fell into the hole made by a beachgoer. Thankfully, she was able to make it out of the hole on her own and return to the ocean but she did not lay her eggs. It's possible she could have been injured from the incident.

In addition, hatchlings are emerging from their nests this time of year. If they encounter a large hole while making their way to the ocean, they may become trapped and unable to escape from predators such as birds and crabs. Or, at the very least, they will waste precious energy trying to get out of the hole. They need all their energy to make it from their nest on the beach to the Sargasso Sea where they'll find protection among the sargassum seaweed. Only 1 in 1,000 hatchlings will make it to adulthood. Please give them the best chance possible by filling in holes on the beach and making their journey to the ocean an easy one! THANK YOU!!!
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A "False Crawl" indicates that a sea turtle came to shore to lay eggs but returned to the ocean without doing so.
July 1, 2022
We've Got Hatchlings!
On the morning of June 26, volunteers on patrol were thrilled to find that the first two sea turtle nests laid this season (on April 6 and April 13) had both emerged the night before! Both nests were laid by Leatherbacks, the largest of all the sea turtles. As part of our efforts and under the direction of the FWC, our volunteers conduct Hatch Success Evaluations on each nest three days after an emergence to determine the fate of each egg laid. In the case of the first nest laid this season, the evaluation revealed 51 empty eggshells from hatchlings that emerged and made their way out to sea, 5 unhatched eggs, and 23 spacer eggs (which do not contain embryos). Good luck baby turtles, may you be the first of many successful emergences this season!!!
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Leatherback Turtle Hatchlings
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Happy Independence Day!
July 4th is around the corner. While this can be a fun and exciting time for us to celebrate our independence, it can be a dangerous and scary time for sea turtles and other wildlife. Loud noises and bright lights from fireworks can scare mama turtles and prevent them from laying their eggs. Small debris left on the beach after celebrations can be ingested by the animals making them sick or killing them. Large debris can create obstacles that trap or injure sea turtles. We hope that you have a wonderful holiday weekend with family and friends, but please be kind and keep the turtles in mind!
 Did You Know?
July 5 is notorious for the massive amounts of debris left on the beaches by those celebrating Independence Day the night before. Please be respectful and leave the beach the way you found it:  remove trash, lawn furniture and umbrellas, fill in holes and knock down sandcastles. Thank you!

Want to do more?
Many areas have local beach clean-ups on July 5 to restore the beach back to its natural state.
Click on your county's name for more information on this year's clean-up events. Or reach out to someone in your area to see how you can help!
Volusia County 
 Flagler County 

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