Sea Turtle Hatchlings NOT Reaching the Water

Sea Turtle hatchlings are emerging, and for this week, the five hatched nests were ALL disoriented. For the monitors, this is very frustrating. They can only follow the tracks that lead away from the Gulf. They have no way of knowing how many made it to the water, if any. All they know for sure is how many hatched from each nest based on how many empty shells there were in the nest when it was excavated three days later. According to a monitor, “Disorientations are awful because it creates so many unknowns – all we know for sure is that the emergence didn’t go as it should have.”

Disorientations are usually caused by bright lights on the beach. As hatchlings emerge, they head in the wrong direction – towards the bright lights and away from the water. Anytime a hatchling disorients it is considered to be an irreparable and irreversible incident; even if we recover one or two and return them to the water, they will be starting their young journey with a diminished chance of survival. 

Are bicycles allowed on Marco Beach? According to Section 54-36(d) Regulation of Use and Conduct on the Beach, “bicycles are NOT allowed on Marco’s beaches.”  

An early rider on an E-bike has been reported heading north to the tip, and their tire marks could alter sea turtle tracks, or they could be running over emerging dollar-size hatchlings heading to the water. He was observed by a concerned beach walker as coming into the beach through the Maple Avenue entrance. 

On a good note – during the last visit to the beach, there were 27 posted sea turtle nests from Residents Beach to South Beach. Female sea turtles are coming to Marco’s beach to nest. 

Let’s Keep our Beaches Safe for Sea Turtles

1. Lights Out. Bright lights from flashlights, cell phones and condo lights can disorient sea turtles – follow the City’s Beach Lighting Ordinance.

2. Fill in Holes. Tiny hatchlings can become trapped in holes dug in the sand. 

3. Remove Obstacles from the sand. Sea turtles cannot move in reverse, so it is important to flatten sandcastles and remove chairs, tents, toys, and towels from the beach.

4. Dispose of trash - like fishing line - properly. Sea turtles can become entangled with fishing line left at the surf line and litter attracts predators such as raccoons and rats.

5. Disturbing trend on the beach. Plastic bags (supermarket kind) are being filled with sand to anchor tents. These bags are being left behind as trash littering the beach.