Sanibel’s leatherback nest recently hatched. This nest was Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation’s first documented sea turtle nest of 2024 on the islands and the first nest from a leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) on the island in four years. Its hatching marked the beginning of a cascade of loggerhead nests currently hatching on Sanibel and Captiva. During an inventory of the leatherback nest, SCCF biologists and permitted volunteers documented 113 eggs, including 40 emerged leatherback hatchlings.
Total Nests & Emerged Hatchlings on Sanibel and Captiva in 2024 as of July 2
Total nest counts include nests that have already hatched or were lost.
• 646 Loggerhead Nests
• 243 Emerged Loggerhead Hatchlings
• 1 Leatherback Nest
• 40 Emerged Leatherback Hatchlings