provided by the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation
The 2024 sea turtle nesting season on Sanibel and Captiva Islands is in full swing, and more than 2,200 hatchlings have emerged as of July 9. The Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation has documented 2,204 hatchlings, 723 nests, and 1,401 false crawls this season.
It’s a crucial time of year to turn off or shield all lights visible from the beach after 9 p.m. to prevent the disorientation of hatchlings with artificial lighting.
Hatchlings naturally detect the moonlit horizon to find their way to the water. Artificial lights can cause them to head in the wrong direction and die due to dehydration, heat exhaustion, or encounters with predators, humans, and cars.
• 721 loggerhead (Caretta caretta)
• 1 leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea)
• 1 green turtle (Chelonia mydas)
Emerged Hatchlings
• 2,164 loggerheads
• 40 leatherbacks
False Crawls
• 1,398 loggerhead false crawls
• 2 green turtle false crawls
• 1 leatherback false crawl
In 2023, SCCF documented 1,201 sea turtle nests on Sanibel and Captiva (1,177 loggerhead and 24 green turtles), 27,368 emerged hatchlings, and 3,511 false crawls (3,470 loggerhead and 41 green turtles). Despite a record number of loggerhead nests last year, the islands’ hatchling counts were some of the lowest in years.
In 2022, there were 786 nests (769 loggerheads and 18 green turtles), 35,803 emerged hatchlings, and 1,022 false crawls (1,011 loggerheads, 10 green turtles, 1 unknown).
Help Sea Turtles
Remember to do your part to help nesting sea turtles and hatchlings this season by:
• Turning off all of your lights and flashlights near the beach at night
• Removing trash and equipment from the beach
• Filling holes, flattening sand castles, and removing any other obstruction that could pose an obstacle to sea turtles
• Respecting posted nesting areas
To report any problems with nests, sea turtles, hatchlings, lighting, or furniture compliance, call the SCCF Sea Turtle Hotline at 978-728-3663.