Hatchlings Navigate a Gauntlet of Beach Traffic

Attachments

2024-08-01_A_22.pdf

On Marco Island “vehicles require a permit to drive on the beach and shall have wide, low footprint pressure tires, except for emergency vehicles, all vehicles will be limited to ten miles per hour – according to the City of Marco Island Vehicles on the Beach Regulations.

Per FWC “operating vehicles, including ATVs, on the beach can destroy wildlife habitat and be harmful or fatal to wildlife. This is one reason that in many areas, beach-driving is strictly prohibited year-round to all but authorized personnel.” 

If you visit the beach between 7:00 AM and 8:00 AM, you will observe assorted ATVs (All-terrain vehicles) driven by beach vendor personnel, pulling trailers full of chairs and umbrellas and delivering them close to the surf line. 

That is the gauntlet of beach traffic a newborn hatchling has to navigate to reach the water. During the early morning hours of July 24th, a nest hatched in the vicinity of the Winterberry Beach boardwalk and the hatchlings saw the water for the first time.

But the nest disoriented according to the sea turtle monitor and one hatchling was found dead on the dunes and one hatchling was observed racing to the water. Another beach walker shared “I followed a baby turtle’s tracks today on the beach of JW, unfortunately when it got near the shore, those tracks were replaced by seagulls.’ This hatchling travelled half a mile North trying to reach the water. 

“A nest disoriented” has become an all too common observation by sea turtle monitors.