- October 12, 2024
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Sea turtle nesting season officially starts May 1, but somebody forgot to tell the turtles.
Volusia County managed beaches already have three sea turtle nests. The first nest was laid by a leatherback sea turtle on March 29, the earliest recorded sea turtle nest on county managed beaches. The other two nests were laid by Kemp’s Ridleys, the world’s smallest and most endangered species of sea turtle.
With water temperatures warming up quickly, hundreds of sea turtles will be emerging from the surf to lay eggs on the beach in the next few months.
After incubating in the sand for about two months, tiny hatchlings will break free of their eggshells and make an often treacherous crawl to the ocean, dodging predators, holes, trash and beach furniture.
“Our goal is to make Volusia County beaches a safe and inviting place for humans and sea turtles,” said Jaymie Reneker, Volusia County's sea turtle Habitat Conservation Plan program manager. “We encourage residents and visitors alike to respect our wildlife. The largest impacts even a single person can make are keeping our beaches clean, dark and flat. We encourage everyone to let the night provide the light on our coastline.”
Following the 2022 hurricane season, beach recovery is still underway and will continue through the sea turtle nesting season. Coordination of all construction projects is being handled by staff from Volusia County’s Environmental Management and Coastal divisions alongside partners from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. For questions about beach project permits, visit www.volusia.org/beachcleanup.
Residents and visitors can also help save sea turtle lives by following these tips on the beach:
Nesting season runs through Oct. 31. On average, more than 580 nests are laid in Volusia County. Last year’s season was the highest nesting season on record, with 1,427 nests counted.
