Respect nesting sea turtles

Posted on May 9, 2018 by PluggedInto in Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns, Sunshine State news // 0 Comments

Bystanders watch a rescued and rehabilitated sea turtle make it's way back to sea during a public release. Photo taken 09-28-16.

GAINESVILLE – People aren’t the only ones headed to Florida’s beaches right now. May 1 marked the official start of the sea turtle nesting season, and beachgoers can take steps to help turtles be successful, said Maia McGuire, a Sea Grant agent with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension.

“Sea turtles are coming to beaches to lay their eggs, which they bury high up on the beach. All sea turtle species that are found in U.S. waters are federally listed as either threatened or endangered. Three of these sea turtle species nest regularly in Florida, so making sure the newborn turtles are able to reach the ocean helps conserve these species,” said McGuire, who coauthored a book on sea turtles for young readers called “One in a Thousand: Those Amazing Sea Turtles.”

Here are a few tips to help give sea turtles safe passage to the water.

For more information or to get in touch with a source, contact me at 352-294-3307 (Office), 949-735-1076 (Cell) orgrenrosa@ufl.edu.