Loggerhead Nesting Numbers Nearing Record

Northern Palm Beach County could see a record number of loggerhead turtle nests, according to the officials at the Loggerhead Marinelife Center. The current record was set in 2012 when there were 11,525 nests, but according to officials, if this year's nesting stays strong, they expect 2016 to be a record breaking year.

“In the early 2000s, we were seeing a decline in loggerhead nest counts, but since 2007 we’ve seen an increasing trend. With this being such a long-lived species, we cannot be certain why these numbers are changing. That is why long-term monitoring is so important for further study,” Dr. Charles Manire, LMC’s director of research and rehabilitation said to the Palm Beach Post.

Numbers can fluctuate for a variety of reasons each year. In 2015, Tropical Storm Erika eroded beaches and swept away sea turtle nests. 1,044 loggerhead nests and 128 green turtle nests were lost due to the damage from Erika.

Sea Turtle nesting season goes from March 1st to October 31st. While the numbers only indicate the number of nests on the 10 mile stretch of beach from Donal Ross Road north to Jonathan Dickinson State Park, Singer Island is a hotbed for sea turtle nests as well. You can find turtle nesting areas up and down the beaches of Singer Island, including MacArthur Park. MacArthur Park also offers sea turtle related beach walks and activities at night.

A friendly reminder though, harming or harassing sea turtles, their nests, or hatchlings is illegal. Sea turtles are protected by the U.S. Endangered Species Act of 1972 and Florida Statute Chapter 370.