SAVE - Monthlies - Volusia/Flagler Turtle Patrol

Happy Labor Day!

Whether you're headed to the beach or out boating to celebrate this holiday weekend, please remember to be respectful of the local wildlife. Hatchlings are emerging every day and mama turtles are still coming to shore to nest. You can give them the best chance of success by leaving the beach the way you found it. Fill in holes, knock down sandcastles, pick up litter, and remove lawn furniture. Even a small hole can seem like a huge obstacle to a hatchling just getting started in life. If boating is more your style, please be on the lookout for surfacing turtles, manatees, and other sea life. Together we can ensure that we, as well as our marine wildlife, have a safe and happy Labor Day weekend!

Nest Emergence

One of our volunteers was lucky enough be present when a sea turtle nest emerged recently. As seen in the video below, hatchlings often emerge en masse. It's called a "boil" because it resembles water boiling in a pot. Hatchling emergences don't just happen randomly. It actually starts several days before the turtles break free from the sand. Deep in the egg chamber the hatchlings work together to dig their way toward the top of the nest. At night, when the temperature of the sand cools, they use the cover of darkness and safety in numbers to scramble toward the moon-lit ocean as quickly as possible. This way they can avoid predators such as crabs and birds on the beach.

Want to help them on their way? Remember to fill in holes dug in the sand, knock down sandcastles before you leave, and remove trash or lawn furniture. These babies need to clear path to the ocean for their best chance of survival.
Good luck little turtles!!

Hatchlings have Arrived!

We've entered that exciting time of the season when the eggs laid by mama sea turtles earlier in the season are beginning to hatch. As part of our conservation efforts and under the direction of the FWC, our volunteers conduct Hatch Success Evaluations. These are performed several days after hatchlings emerge in order to determine the fate of each nest. On June 29th volunteers conducted such an evaluation on a nest laid by a Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle, the rarest sea turtle in the world! We are pleased to report that we found forty-two empty eggshells, indicating that forty-two Kemp's Ridley hatchlings successfully made their way from the nest to the ocean. Good luck baby turtles, may you be the first of many successful emergences this season!

To learn more about Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtles, click here.

Kemp's Ridley Hatch Success Evaluation Photos

June 2024

Sharing our Beaches with Sea Turtles

As the days grow longer and the sun shines brighter, signaling the onset of summer, our beaches become a favored destination for many. It's a privilege to coexist with the endangered sea turtles that grace our shores to lay their eggs. Whether you're a seasoned local or a first-time visitor, it's important to remember how to respectfully share our sandy spaces with these majestic creatures. Here's a quick guide on the best practices to ensure our beaches remain a safe haven for sea turtles.

Do's

Leave the beach as you found it.

Have fun building sandcastles during the day, but knock them down before you leave.

Celebrate responsibly by writing messages in the sand and using shells as decorations.

Keep the beach quiet at night.

Use red lights when walking on the beach at night. They are less likely to disturb sea turtles.

Look in awe and wonder at the tracks left by an endangered species from the night before.

Keep your distance from sea turtles coming to shore to nest and hatchlings headed to the ocean.

Don'ts

Leave trash, beach toys and furniture as obstacles for mama turtles and hatchlings.

Leave sandcastles and holes as hazards for little hatchlings as they try to reach the ocean.

Release balloons with ribbons.
They can be deadly if ingested by wildlife.

Play loud music or set off fireworks.

Use phone lights, white flashlights or flash photography on the beach at night.

Disturb sea turtle tracks in the sand so that volunteers can locate, mark and protect their eggs.

It is illegal to crowd or harass sea turtles. If you need assistance, please call the FWC at 1-888-404-3922.

A heartfelt thanks to all those who contribute to the protection of our sea turtles!
~The Volusia/Flagler Turtle Patrol

Want more? Visit us on Facebook!

May 1, 2024
2024 Turtle Nesting Season Begins!

Leatherback nesting in Ormond Beach on 4/17/24

Today marks the first day of the 2024 Turtle Nesting Season! The season runs from May 1 through October 31. Mama turtles are beginning to come to shore to lay their eggs on our beaches. During nesting season our volunteers patrol the beach each morning to look for turtle crawls (tracks left in the sand by mama turtles as they make their way onto the beach to lay their eggs). Volunteers are trained to locate turtle crawls, determine if a nest was laid, collect detailed information about the crawl/nest (which will be reported to the FWC), and clearly mark the nest so that its location is known for further evaluation and so that it remains protected and undisturbed by beachgoers. We are excited to report that we have already had several Leatherback Sea Turtles and one Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle nest so far this year. To learn more about all of the species of sea turtles found on Florida's beaches, click here.

Tips for Sharing the Beach

Leave the beach the way you found it. Mama turtles can get trapped/injured in lawn chairs or stuck in holes dug on the beach. When leaving the beach, remove obstacles that can get in their way by taking everything with you, filling in holes, and knocking down sandcastles.

Pick up your trash. Mama turtles may think your plastic bag is a yummy jellyfish an eat it, making her sick. Look around before you leave and place your trash (and trash left behind by others) in the trash/recycling bins.

Lights out. Lighting along A1A, beach bonfires, and flashlights can confuse mama turtles, discouraging them from coming ashore to lay their eggs. If they are already on shore, they may become disoriented or be frightened away.

Do not disturb nesting females. If you see a turtle coming ashore to nest, do not approach! Give her space and don't make loud noises or quick movements. If she gets scared and returns to the ocean, she may dump her eggs in the sea and the hatchlings will perish.

Call for assistance. Turtles have been coming to shore to lay eggs for thousands of years without needing any help from us. If you see one coming to shore, please keep your distance, remain quiet and watch nature at its finest. However, if you see bystanders crowding or harassing a nesting turtle, please call the FWC for assistance at 1-888-404-FWCC (888-404-3922).

Fun Fact
Sea turtles, like all reptiles, are cold-blooded or "ectothermic." They cannot regulate their own body temperature and must rely on the heat of the environment to keep warm. In winter months, if water temperatures drop below 50°F and stay cold for a prolonged period of time, sea turtles can become cold-stunned. Cold-stunning in sea turtles is the equivalent to hypothermia in humans. When it occurs, their heart rate and circulation slow to a dangerous level. They are unable to swim so they float to the surface where they are in danger of boat strikes and predation. Because they are lethargic, they are often carried to shore by currents. If you find a sea turtle on the beach in the winter months, they may be experiencing cold-stunning. Please do not attempt to place them back in the water as they may need medical assistance. Call the FWC at 888-404-3922 for help.

Thank You! It's been a great season!

November 1, 2023

Yesterday, October 31, was officially the last day of the 2023 Turtle Nesting Season. We still have 9 nests on the beach and will continue to monitor them until they are all hatched and/or nest success evaluations have been completed. As we do every year, we'd like to take this time to thank everyone involved in helping us in our mission to protect and conserve sea turtles. We appreciate everyone's help...volunteers who patrol the beaches each morning, beach-side residents who ensure their lights are off, beach-walkers who pick up litter on the beach, good Samaritans who call to report turtles in need, nest adopters and those making donations, and so many more! It's so uplifting to be part of a community with such big hearts ready to lend a helping hand. So, thank you for this year and we'll see you again next year!

~The Volusia/Flagler Turtle Patrol

October 1, 2023

Record Breaking Year!

We have just begun the last month of the 2023 Turtle Nesting Season which will officially end on October 31. Nesting has slowed down significantly but we are still patrolling every day and watching over nests yet to hatch on our beaches. We are happy to report that the FWC has released preliminary statewide totals for nesting sea turtles and it has been a record-breaking year for both loggerhead and green sea turtles. The totals below were calculated with data through August 31, 2023. When the season ends our totals will be even higher!

Loggerhead Sea Turtle: 133, 414 nests (previous record was 122,707 for the entire 2016 season) - RECORD BREAKER!
Green Sea Turtle: 74,308 nests (previous record was 53,102 for the entire 2017 season) - RECORD BREAKER!
Leatherback Sea Turtle: 1,748 nests
Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle: 10 nests

~The Volusia/Flagler Turtle Patrol

What's Keeping Turtle Patrol Busy?

So what's keeping our volunteers so busy? Glad you asked!

New Nests. Mama turtles continue to come to our beaches to lay their eggs. We patrol the beaches each morning, find their nests and stake them off to keep them out of harm's way. We also record various data such as species of turtle, location of nest, incoming vs. outgoing track, whether obstacles were encountered, etc.
False Crawls. Some mama turtles come to shore but return to the ocean before laying their eggs. They may have been spooked by something or unable to find a suitable spot to nest.
Nest Relocations. If a sea turtle lays her nest in certain areas defined by the FWC (such as below the daily high tide line where nests will be inundated with water every day or in front of storm water outfall), we are allowed to relocate the nest to a drier location (following specific guidelines) to increase the hatchlings' chance of survival.
Emergences. Hatchlings are emerging from their nests (usually at night) and making their way out to the sea. Volunteers can tell this has happened by looking for hatchling tracks leading from an emergence hole in the nest area to the ocean. Occasionally, hatchlings become disoriented and can travel long distances in a direction other than to the water. Volunteers spend time following the tracks to try to locate the hatchlings.
Nest Success Evaluations. Several days after hatchlings emerge, a Nest Success Evaluation is performed to determine the success of each nest. How many eggs hatched? How many did not? How many hatchlings perished? Did a predator or plant roots invade the nest? etc.
Hatchling Release or Rehab. Occasionally we either find hatchings on the beach that did not make their way out to the ocean with their siblings, or beachgoers alert us to the fact. If the hatchlings are strong enough to be released, we point them toward the ocean to ensure they get there safely. If they are weak or injured, we bring them to the Marine Science Center for evaluation and rehabilitation.
And more... You never know what an early morning ride on the beach will bring. Sometimes we find injured wildlife (shorebirds, etc.) that need to be transported to the Marine Science Center, sandcastles that need to be knocked down, beach furniture left unattended on the beach which could become an obstacle to nesting turtles, and hatchlings, and more.

Our volunteers are amazing with everything they have to accomplish each morning.
If you see them on patrol, please give them a smile, wave or thumbs up to
let them know that they're appreciated!

August 1, 2023

Nesting Mamas & Emerging Hatchlings

The 2023 Sea Turtle Nesting Season is in full swing and we're having a great year. The turtles are keeping our volunteers busy as mama turtles continue to come to shore and hatchlings are emerging from nests laid earlier in the season.
As of July 31, 2023 Volusia County alone* has had a total of ~11,900 eggs hatched from 1,390 sea turtle nests (1,193 Loggerheads, 188 Greens, 5 Leatherbacks, and 4 Kemp's Ridleys).

Want to keep up to date? Click here to see the numbers rise on the
Volusia County 2023 Sea Turtle Nesting Season Dashboard.

~ The Volusia/Flagler Turtle Patrol

* Volusia/Flagler Turtle Patrol includes 25 miles of beach in Volusia County, 18 miles in Flagler County, and 2.5 miles in St. Johns County.

July 1, 2023

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. In addition, July 5 is notorious for the massive amounts of debris left on the beaches by those celebrating Independence Day the night before. Small debris can be ingested, making animals sick or killing them. Large debris can create obstacles that trap or injure sea turtles.

We hope that you have a wonderful holiday with family and friends, but please celebrate responsibly and leave the beach the way you found it. Remove trash, lawn furniture and umbrellas. Fill in holes and knock down sandcastles. Please kind and keep the turtles in mind! Thank you :)

~ The Volusia/Flagler Turtle Patrol

Want to do more?

Many areas have local beach clean-ups on July 5 to restore the beach back to its natural state. We've listed a few below or you can reach out to someone in your area to see how you can help!

Flagler Beach
July 5 at 9:00 am, meet at
the "A" frame in front of the Flagler Beach Pier.

Volusia County
July 5 from 8:00 - 10:00 am, meet at
Winterhaven Park, 4589 S. Atlantic Ave, Ponce Inlet.
(Bring a bucket or trash bag, grabbers and gloves if you have them.)

June 1, 2023

Welcome Mama Turtles!

We're happy to report that the 2023 Turtle Nesting Season, which began on May 1, is off and running! Our dedicated volunteers are patrolling the beaches each morning and finding turtle crawls and nests. There have been a few bumps along the way, like the rough seas and high tides recently which washed out some of the nests. There's also been construction occurring on the beach (especially in our southern range) repairing damaged buildings from last year's hurricanes. Mama turtles have been maneuvering around equipment and debris, but our volunteers are being diligent to mark their nests clearly so that they won't be disturbed as construction continues. Due to both issues, which are taking up more time than usual, turtle adoption nest assignments are running late. We apologize and appreciate each one of you who has adopted a nest this season. Our priority is keeping the turtles safe and, we promise, we'll get adoptions assigned as soon as we can! It's par for the course to run into some bumps each season and it seems we've found ours early.

You know that sea turtles are coming to shore to nest, but do you know what they do once they get here?
A female turtle can spend two hours or more on shore laying her eggs.

She makes her way onto the beach, hopefully to a point beyond the high-tide line so that her eggs won’t be taken away with the tide.
She digs a “body pit” by rotating her body and using her flippers.
She cups her rear flippers to grab sand and dig out an egg chamber, or hole, in which she will lay her eggs.
She “drops” a few eggs at a time until she lays between 50 and 200 eggs (depending on the species of turtle).
She uses her rear flippers to fill in the egg chamber with sand and uses her whole body to gently pack it down.
She camouflages her nest by using her flippers to throw sand in all directions around the nest to confuse predators about the location of the eggs.
Finally, a tired mama turtle returns to the sea for some much-deserved rest.

Phew! It's a lot of hard work, but it will all be worth it when the baby turtles hatch later in the season!

~Volusia/Flagler Turtle Patrol