By Heather Bennett
Every summer during your trip to the beach you probably came across a few small staked out areas that were taped off. As some of you may know, these are turtle nests. About 90% of sea turtle nesting in the US takes place in Florida, and one of the most popular species to nest here is the Loggerhead turtle, which is listed as an international endangered species, making taking care of turtle nests here a necessary duty.
We have a group of volunteers known as the Panama City Beach Turtle Watch, who monitor our beaches from St Andrews State Park to Camp Helen State Park. Since 1991, every year from May 1st to October 31st, which is turtle nesting season, these volunteers check for signs of turtles coming to shore to nest, identifying nests and marking them, looking for sigs of turtles or hatchlings in distress, and excavating nests once they have hatched.
Sea turtles will travel thousands of miles to lay eggs on the same beach every year, possibly returning to the same beach where she was born. Turtles will leave wavy tracks on the beach to and from their nesting site on dry sand. The average incubation is 63 days with the earliest hatching at 50 days. Once the eggs hatch, the hatchlings begin their journey out to sea where only 1 in 1,000 will make it to adulthood.
One of the most important things we can do to help increase successful nesting and survival rate, is to leave the beach clean, dark and flat. Turtles coming to nest, as well as hatchlings trying to find the water, can get caught in towels, blankets, chairs, toys, and anything else left behind on the beach. They also use the reflection of the moon and stars on the waves to find their way to the water. Bright lights along the beach can disorient them and cause them to go the wrong way and become lost. Turtles can also get caught in holes on the beach and exhaust themselves trying to get out. It is important to remember to pick up after yourself, fill in any holes in the sand, shut off all outdoor lights and pull the curtains shut after sunset. If you must use a light, use a red light or red filter.
A decline in Loggerhead population due to threats of pollution, getting caught in shrimp trawls and fishing gear, and climate change, has a rippling effect. Loggerheads are an important “keystone” to the survival of other species in their ecosystem that depend on them. Over 100 species can live on their shell, and the remains of the invertebrates that the Loggerheads feed on, fall to the ocean floor and become nutrients for other species. Loggerheads have been on earth for 110 million years and it’s imperative that we help this endangered species live on.
The Panama City Beach Turtle Watch works diligently to make sure as many nests are undisturbed as possible, and hatchlings have every opportunity to make it to the gulf. Unfortunately this year, some nests were washed out or flooded by tropical storms or hurricanes. While we can’t control Mother Nature, we can control what we can do to help these turtles and assist these volunteers. Always remember to keep the beach clean, dark and flat. If you notice a nesting turtle or any hatchlings, you should call the Panama City Beach Police’s non-emergency number 850-233-5000. The police will contact The Panama City Beach Turtle Watch to take care of the nest and turtles. Disturbing a nest is a federal offense.
If you are interested in volunteering or learning more about the Panama City Beach Turtle Watch, you can visit their site at turtlewatch.org.
