ROSEMARY THYMES | 17
Sea Turtle 101 By Jennifer Sullivan
Sea turtle season is from May 1 to October 31 each year. Nesting typically goes until mid to late July, while hatching will continue until late fall. So, what can you do to help keep sea turtle nests safe while visiting and playing on the beach?
Turtle Time by Kelly Oden
photos courtesy of Gulf World Institute
It’s turtle nesting season along the Florida Gulf Coast! From May 1 through the end of October, a variety sea turtle species find their way back to the shore upon which they too were hatched in an effort to bury their own eggs and propagate a new generation. While locals and visitors alike typically love and respect this unique phenomenon, there are a few nonprofit groups working hard to ensure these majestic and federally protected sea creatures get all the help they need to survive and thrive. South Walton Turtle Watch
(SWTW) is a nonprofit organization that is permitted by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to perform nesting surveys during sea turtle nesting season and to respond to sick or injured stranded animals. SWTW performs nest excavations and collects samples. That data is then reported back to FFWCC. As an area coordinator, Barbara Van Stavern coordinates a group of volunteers within her specific zone. These volunteers are trained to perform the surveys and walk the beaches looking for tracks, crawls and nests. That information is reported back to the area coordinator. The area coordinator coordinates the volunteers and all of the walks, which is a big job considering they have to cover every single day of nesting season, which starts May 1 and runs through the end of October. Once a nest is located, the area coordinator goes to the site to verify which species made the crawl. “We can tell the species by looking at the characteristics of the crawl,” Van Stavern said. “We look to see if the turtle nested and if so, we block off the nest, since
they are protected animals we also protect their nesting habitat. We block it off with stakes and neon survey tape so that it can be seen from the beach. We also hang a sign that FFWCC provides to us that talks about the state and federal statutes that protect those animals and what to do if you see something wrong.” Van Stavern describes a mother sea turtle's trek to nest as nothing short of amazing, saying, “If you’re quiet, you can hear her breathe. She takes these big, long, deep breaths. She is hauling her 300-pound body (which is usually floating in water) across the sand to dump her clutch of eggs. Think about how exhausting that must be.” It's important to note that beachgoers should never interfere with nesting sea turtles–do not cross her path, stay quiet and turn off all lights, including flash photography. “Just take it in and watch it,” Van Stavern said. “Just respect them and let them do their thing.” An equally incredible sight to behold is the hatching of the baby turtles. The tiny hatchlings follow the moonlight to get to sea. This
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Play a safe distance from the nest. Any toys that enter the nest area (Frisbees, footballs, sand toys) should be left in the nest. Only FWC permitted staff are allowed to safely remove any objects that fall into the marked area.
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Please keep small children outside of the nest area. Even though they are small, their footsteps could potential harm the nest.
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Keep all pets on leashes. Pets are attracted to nesting areas and if a pet damages or destroys a nest, the owner can be held responsible for disturbing the nest.
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Only use red light emitting flashlights on or near the beach.
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Knock down your sandcastles and fill in your holes (this will aide in any future turtles coming ashore and with the hatchlings when they arrive).
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Keep the beach clean. Remove all your belongings when you leave the beach each day. Leave no trace.
If you see a sea turtle nesting on the beach in Rosemary Beach, please stay well back, don't touch or disturb it and immediately call SWTW at 850428-2090 or the Walton County Sheriff's office at 850-267-2000. If you see injured or distressed wildlife, including sea turtles and dolphins, report them to our Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).