Hatch Season Update

It may finally be safe to say nesting is finished on Sanibel and Captiva. Although, the last time that thought crossed our minds another green turtle kindly came ashore and proved us wrong! It is been over two weeks since the last nest was laid and more than a month since the last loggerhead came ashore. 

Hatching is continuing in earnest, but should begin slowing in the next few weeks. To date, there have been 348 nests laid on Sanibel (327 loggerhead and 21 green turtle nests) and 130 nests laid on Captiva (128 loggerhead and 2 green turtle nests. This is the THIRD highest nesting year for the Islands and the BEST nesting year for green turtles! So far, 311 nests have hatched between Sanibel and Captiva and we're patiently monitoring the 75 nests that remain on our beaches.

This success would not be possible without the visitors and residents of the Islands practicing sea turtle friendly behaviors. For that, we’d like to say THANK YOU! Keep in mind that turtle season isn’t over, though, and keeping beachfront lighting to a minimum is essential so we can guarantee a safe nest to Gulf trip for the remaining hatchlings.

Loggerhead nest with predator exclusion screen. Look at all the hatchling tracks leaving the nest and headed straight for the Gulf!

Green turtle hatchling awaiting its nighttime release.

Loggerhead hatchling crawling to the Gulf at sunrise.

Tracks of the last green turtle nest laid on Sanibel.

The Survival of the Sea Turtle

This video, by TEDed, explains how amazing sea turtles are in under 5 minutes. Enjoy!

Species Spotlight: the Green Turtle

Green turtle nesting on Sanibel at sunrise. (Photo by: A.Bryant)

Meet the green turtle (Chelonia mydas). As the only vegetarian sea turtle (in adulthood), they eat mostly sea grasses and algae. While not green in color, they are named for the green color of their fat. Green turtles are the largest of the hard-shelled turtles, often reaching over three feet in length and 300-350 pounds. They have an oval-shaped shell and a head that is small in proportion to their body. Hatchlings are typically dark grayish-black with a white underside and white edges to their carapace (top shell) and flippers.

Green turtle hatchling.

Green turtles are found worldwide. The estuaries in Southwest Florida provide nursery habitat for juveniles and our beaches provide nesting habitat. While loggerhead turtle nests make up the bulk of sea turtle nesting in the area, there are several green nests laid each year. Green turtles usually begin nesting in June and continue into September. Like all sea turtles, the green is protected by the U.S. Endangered Species Act. It is currently listed as endangered across its range.