Mote Marine Reports the Season’s First Local Sea Turtle Nest on Casey Key

Mote Marine Reports the Season’s First Local Sea Turtle Nest on Casey Key

Sea Turtle Nesting Season on the West Coast of Florida each year runs from May 1st through October 31st.

Mote Marine’s Sea Turtle Conservation & Research Program, and the about 300 volunteers began monitoring Sarasota County beaches on April 15th, and the found this year's first nest, just three days later on April 18th on Casey Key.

The Mote Sea Turtle Patrol monitors nesting activity on Longboat Key through Venice every day of sea turtle nesting season. .

The April 18th Sea Turtle Nest discovery, marks the earliest documented nest in the program’s history, which Mote Marine hopes might mean, we’re in for a busy season.

Loggerheads are the most common species on southwest Florida nesting beaches, followed by endangered green sea turtles.

Mote research has shown that nest numbers have increased recently on local beaches, with several record-breaking years in the past decade.

In 2022, Mote reported 4,483 nests on beaches, just from Longboat Key through Venice. 

The public will be able to view Mote’s weekly counts of sea turtle nests on Longboat Key through Venice at: www.mote.org/2023nesting.

You can help protect sea turtles

• If you encounter a nesting turtle or hatchlings, remain quiet and observe from a distance.
• Shield or turn off outdoor lights that are visible on the beach from May through October.
• Close drapes after dark and stack beach furniture at the dune line or, ideally, remove it from the beach.
• Fill in holes that may entrap hatchlings on their way to the water.

If you see a sick, injured or stranded sea turtle, dolphin or whale in Sarasota or Manatee county waters, contact Mote Marine Laboratory’s Stranding Investigations Program at 888-345-2335. Outside of Sarasota or Manatee counties, please call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) at 888-404-FWCC (3922).

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