- February 7, 2025
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In 2017, 720 sea turtle nests were made in Volusia County, making this the second highest nesting year on record, according to a county press release.
This year, 634 Loggerhead nests were counted. The most Loggerhead nests recorded in Volusia was in 2012 when 885 were found.
However, for green sea turtles, a new record was set this year with 82 nests. The previous record was 55 nests in 2013 and 2007.
Almost 450 nests have been evaluated and county officials have reported at least 39,000 eggs have hatched.
Four Kemp's riddle's sea turtle nests were also found this year setting another record. Previously, the record had been two Kemp's nests that were recorded in 2014 and 1996. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kemp's ridley turtles are the most endangered of the sea turtles with numbers declining mainly due to human activities, such as harvesting eggs and fishing operations.
“We were excited to see so many turtles using our beaches again this summer,” Jennifer Winters, Volusia County’s Habitat Conservation Plan program manager said in a press release. “While our season officially ended Oct. 31, we still have some turtle nest activity, thanks in part to Hurricane Irma."
According to Winters, hundreds of nests were still marked in the sand when Hurricane Irma hit, which either washed away or drowned eggs from around 200 nests. However, Winters said about 50 nests were re-established in addition to new nests that were laid.
Nine nests are still incubating in the sand.
Nesting season will begin again in May 2018.
