Discover One of the Sea Turtles’ Favorite Nesting Place

One of the most critical sea turtle nesting sites on the planet is in Florida, the United States. Since the area is a mix of protected wilderness and developed land, conservation efforts focus on the harmonious coexistence of the large sea reptile to nest, hatch, and thrive.

Nesting tours can create “an enthusiastic and informed sea turtle constituency,” claims Blair Witherington, a research scientist at Inwater Research Group. The walks show “the community and governments that people care enough about these animals to want to see them, and they’re willing to spend money [for it],” agrees David Godfrey, executive director of the Sea Turtle Conservancy. This “helps justify the investment in creating the refuge.”

Established in 1991, the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge is not located in a remote place. Hence, the addition of a sea turtle nesting tour at night and in darkness to best accommodate sea turtles’ habit of nesting and hatching. Many threats cause hatchling mortality, like light pollution and coastal armouring. The former disorients hatchlings and prevents them from reaching the water, and the latter traps them.  Only one in 1,000 eggs successfully laid makes it to adulthood. In 1983, there were around 13,000 turtle nests on Melbourne Beach. In 2023, that number reached 44,000. Continuous investment has been beneficial not only to sea turtles but to bobcats, yellow rat snakes, crabs, tortoise burrows, coyotes, manatees, cottontail rabbits, and thriving mangrove forests.