Broward's sea turtle nesting season down a bit compared to the last few years
FORT LAUDERDALE - The final day of October marked the end of sea turtle nesting season in Broward County which kicked off on March 1.
This year the Broward County Sea Turtle Conservation Program documented 2,716 nests. Of those, 2,491 were loggerheads, 185 were green turtles and 40 were leatherbacks. Nesting season runs from March 1 to Oct. 31 each year.
According to the BCSTCP, the season's numbers, not including the Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park numbers, were slightly below average compared to nests documented over the last 10 years. Specifically, loggerhead and green turtle nesting fell short of the 10-year average while leatherback nesting remained similar.
Last year, there were 3,600 nests along the county's beaches.
The BCSTCP conducts morning surveys during the season to get accurate counts of the total number of nests. All sea turtle nests are marked with wooden stakes, flagging tape, and a "Sea Turtle Nest" sign.
Each nest is monitored carefully by BCSTCP staff each day until evidence of hatching is observed, usually about two months after the eggs are laid.
They've been monitoring Broward's beaches for sea turtle activity since 1981.
Three species of sea turtles typically nest on Broward's beaches each season: leatherbacks, loggerheads, and green turtles. All are considered either endangered or threatened. They come ashore on summer nights, digging pits in the sand and depositing dozens of eggs before covering them up and returning to the sea. Florida beaches are one of the most important hatcheries for loggerheads in the world.
Only about one in 1,000 sea turtle hatchlings live to adulthood. They face myriad natural threats, including predators on land and in the ocean, disruptions to nests and failure to make it to the water after hatching.
There are also manmade threats. Artificial lighting can endanger sea turtle populations. Hatchling turtles are especially vulnerable to beachfront lighting because they use light to find the ocean after emerging from their nests. In natural conditions the ocean is typically the lightest area, guiding hatchlings in that direction. Artificial lighting on land can cause hatchlings to crawl in the wrong direction, away from the ocean.
Additionally, there is what's called "sky glow," excess light directed up into the sky from properties located west of the beach is still visible from the beach.
Residents of properties in proximity to a beach are urged to turn off lights that are not necessary for safety during turtle nesting season. Close curtains at night or move interior light sources away from windows. Each coastal municipality has its own beachfront lighting ordinance, but most generally require lights off from sunset to sunrise during sea turtle nesting season.