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Dos and Don'ts of Sea Turtle Nests

Posted by Amanda Hicks on Monday, June 26th, 2017 at 3:29pm.

Singer Island and North Palm Beach are home to some of the most populated sea turtle nesting sites in the world. Last year, in the 10-mile stretch from north Singer Island to south Jupiter Island, the Loggerhead Marinelife Center recorded a total of 16,000 sea turtle nests, a record-breaking number. Since it's the middle of the season, you'll surely come across a nest, maybe even a sea turtle. It's important to protect the nests of these creatures as many species, like the loggerhead, are declining. Here is a list of things you can do to help preserve the turtles:

Do:

  • Throw away debris left on the beach
  • Fill in holes in the sand, knock down sand castles, and move objects that could obstruct a sea turtle’s path to and from the ocean
  • If you come across a sea turtle laying eggs, observe at a distance from behind the turtle
  • Look out for disoriented baby turtles on trails and roads nearby
  • Keep your lights out near the beach
  • Bring weak or disoriented hatchlings to Loggerhead Marinelife Center. They can be placed in the 24-hour drop-off cooler outside the Center’s entrance (14200 US Highway One, Juno Beach, FL 33408)

Don’t:

  • Interact with or disrupt a sea turtle when it's laying eggs (Doing so could get you in trouble also)
  • Use lighting on the beach at night including flashlights and cell phones
  • Touch baby turtles on their way to the ocean
  • Take or touch empty egg shells or unhatched eggs
  • Harm or harass sea turtles, their nests or babies
  • Use shovels to dig on the beach during nesting season

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