Once again it is time to think about our friends from the ocean…the sea turtle. Every year between March 1st and October 31st Sea Turtle Nesting season is in full swing here in Palm Beach County along all 47 miles of our beaches. During this time, you will find many sea turtles and their nests checkered among the beachfronts. At least every other year, I like to write about the plight of the sea turtles and the help that is given to them in our county. There are specific rules and regulations set forth to help these large sea creatures reproduce that influence our beach and driving habits during this annual time. So, the next time you’re on the beach and see those nets protecting the sea turtles’ nests, think of the major effort that is made to ensure their survival each and every year. We play an important role in making sure these gentle creatures survive and prosper. Here is a list of guidelines to help you understand what you need to do and what never to do around these beautiful turtles and their hatchlings.
ALWAYS:
• Always throw away all foreign objects and debris left behind on the beach in a beach trashcan
• Always fill in holes in the sand which may obstruct a sea turtle’s path to and from the ocean
• Always observe a nesting sea turtle from a distance and from behind
• Always look out for disoriented hatchlings on trails and roads near the beach
• Always turn your lights out near the beach or install sea turtle-friendly lighting
• Always bring weak or confused hatchlings to a local sea turtle habitat (such as Loggerhead Marinelife Center or Gumbo Limbo Nature Center), but only when necessary
NEVER:
• Never interact with or disrupt a nesting sea turtle
• Never use lighting on the beach at night including flash photography
• Never touch hatchlings on their way to the ocean
• Never take any action for empty egg shells, or exposed, un-hatched eggs
• Never harm or harass sea turtles, their nests or hatchlings
• Never use shovels or picks to dig on the beach during nesting season
Sea turtle professionals stress the “Lights Out” campaign where beachgoers or residents near the beach who require light maintain a “shield” so that the light will not shine onto the beach directly at night. Any light will draw a sea turtle like the sun on a horizon line away from the ocean and the main goal is to get the hatchlings into the ocean with no interruption. Never use flash photography around the turtles or their nests as this may confuse or disorient them as well. And by no means ever approach or pick up a sea turtle or their hatchlings. Should you encounter a weak, confused or lost (such as on the highway or away from the actual beach) hatchling, please call or bring it by Loggerhead Marinelife Center or Gumbo Limbo Nature Center. Loggerhead Marinelife Center has a unique “Drop-Off Box” for hatchlings at their front entrance should you need to use it.
Now remember Palm Beach County has a beach that extends from the top of the county in Jupiter to the bottom of the county in Boca Raton, so this list should pertain to all beach areas marked with Turtle Nesting signs. And, National Law dictates it is illegal to harm or harass a sea turtle, a sea turtle nest or a sea turtle hatchling. So, please, watch out for these mild giants and their offspring when you go to the beach.
Places exist in our area where you can learn about these magnificent sea creatures: Loggerhead Marinelife Center (Juno Beach), Gumbo Limbo Nature Center (Boca Raton) and Sandoway House (Delray Beach).