Florida sea turtles species typically nest from May to October, with the exception of leatherbacks which are known to start as early as February. Female sea turtles always return to the same beach each time they nest. Sea turtles nest every two to three years and can lay 80 to 120 eggs per nest. The eggs are camouflage and the nest is left abandoned while the mother returns to sea. Florida beaches host more than 90 percent of sea turtles nesting in the United States.
Turtle eggs take about 60 days to hatch and when they do they all hatch at once. Most eggs hatch after dark and baby turtles are instinctively attracted to bright light. In nature the moonlight reflecting off the water attracts the baby turtles to the sea. One of the biggest threats to baby turtles is artificial light which causes them to crawl in the wrong direction. Baby turtles have many natural predators and only one in 1,000 hatchlings survive to adulthood.
Florida's turtle nesting beaches face both natural and unnatural threats. Forty percent of Florida's beaches are classified as critically eroded from natural causes. Human intervention to prevent beach erosion such as seawalls and imported sand has had negative impact on sea turtle nesting habits. Barriers and imported sand change the natural ecosystem of the beaches making them unsuitable for nesting. Beachfront development poses the largest threat because artificial lighting disorients baby turtles and many end up dying from dehydration.
For those interested in witnessing turtle nesting, Florida offers many organized turtle watches where visitors can safely enjoy the phenomenon. One of the best places to see nesting turtles is Canaveral National Seashore, the longest undeveloped stretch of beach on Florida's east coast. Another popular location is Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge in Vero Beach which is considered the best loggerhead nesting beach in Florida. Gumbo Limbo Environmental Complex in Boca Raton allows visitors to watch hatchling releases. Reservations for most turtles walks are available beginning early May.
