Endangered and threatened sea turtles nest on our beaches May through October. You can help them survive by keeping the beaches clean, dark and flat.
Clean
Remove all of your belongings, including trash when you leave the beach each day.
Dark
Artificial light disturbs nesting sea turtles and hatchlings. Turn off all lights on or near the beach. You may be asking yourself, “why are lights not allowed during nesting season?” When sea turtle hatchlings emerge from their nests, they use the moon to guide them to the ocean. If they see the beach lights, they could confuse that light with the moonlight which would cause them to get disoriented and potentially die. Be mindful of any light sources including your flashlights and phones when on the beach after sunset.
Flat
When you leave the beach each day, please knock down your sandcastles and fill in your holes.Even the tiniest hole is a hazard for tiny hatchlings struggling to make their way quickly to the water.
Thank you for protecting sea turtles and their nesting habitat.
Important:
If you observe a sea turtle or baby sea turtle hatchling doing anything other than heading towards or swimming freely in the ocean, please leave it alone and call FWC Wildlife Alert: 888.404.3922 or *FWC from your cell phone.
Kindly be ready to provide your GPS location, any landmarks and address.