Scientists expect big turtle nesting season in Florida

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The number of sea-turtle nests in Florida this season, which began the first days of March, will equal those recorded in recent years and “will be a success,” the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, or FWC, said.

Florida beaches host more sea-turtle nests than any other coastline in the United States, and this month the leatherback turtle is already coming ashore from Broward County to Brevard County, both on the state’s east coast, to lay their eggs, the FWC said in a statement.

Scientists expect big turtle nesting season in Florida

In a few months, other counties on the Florida coast will begin to receive this chelonian species, as well as loggerheads and green sea turtles, the latter having made a significant comeback after being at the point of extinction several decades ago.

Of these three species, the loggerhead is the most abundant on Florida’s beaches. Ninety percent of all nests counted of this sea turtle are found on the Florida peninsula.

FWC biologists expressed their “surprise” and “satisfaction” in 2013 at the record number of green turtle nests counted in Florida, a total of 36,000, the commission said.

Florida registered a record number of loggerhead nests in 2012 and of the green sea turtle in 2013, Robbin Trindell, the FWC official responsible for monitoring the turtle population, said.

Sea turtles lay their eggs from March to October, with the greens being the last to make their nests in Florida.

This species of turtle, according to a 2007 study by a group of biologists at the University of Florida, heads for deep waters after leaving its nests on the beach and feeds at sea on jellyfish before returning to its usual vegetarian habits.

The green turtle is still endangered due to irresponsible fishing and human consumption of its meat and eggs. EFE