Help protect sea turtles and hatchlings during nesting season

BONITA SPRINGS, Fla.- Sea turtle nesting season is now underway, and beach visitors and residents are required by local and federal law to take certain precautions to protect the sea turtle nesting habitat.

Sea turtle nesting season runs from May 1 through October 31.

The City of Bonita Springs’ sea turtle protection ordinance requires beach goers and residents take several precautions. First, the beach must not be directly or indirectly illuminated by artificial lighting during the nesting season from 9 p.m.- 7 a.m.

The ordinance also requires all beach furniture, tents, toys, and equipment be removed from the beach nightly from 9 p.m.- 7 a.m. Beach furniture and equipment must be moved behind the landward edge of the dune lines. Furniture must not be placed on or destroy any dune vegetation.

Artificial light on the beach can disorient both adult and hatchling sea turtles. The ordinance states that all lights on properties must be in compliance with the code by shielding, adjusting, changing bulbs, or turning them off. Remember to close curtains and blinds after dark to reduce or eliminate interior light coming from doors and windows visible from the beach.

Sea turtles are also federally protected by the Endangered Species Act making it illegal to interfere with their nesting and hatching in any way. This prohibits approaching a nesting sea turtle, (especially with a flashlight). It also prohibits interfering with hatchlings, using a flashlight on hatchlings, and taking flash photographs of sea turtles or hatchlings.

Florida has five sea turtles on the Endangered Species list. Studies show that when the public is educated about and comply with Federal law and local ordinances, hatchling sea turtles survival rate greatly increases.

Nesting turtles once had no trouble finding a quiet, dark beach on which to nest. Now light from development can discourage nesting. If a female fails to nest after multiple false crawls, she will resort to less-than-optimal nesting spots or deposit her eggs in the ocean. In either case, the survival outlook for these vulnerable hatchlings is grim.

The female never sees the nest site again, leaving hatchlings on their own to make it to the water. Baby sea turtles use light and reflections from the moon to find their way to the water at night.

Lighting near the shore can cause hatchlings to become disoriented and wander inland. If the hatchlings are drawn inland, they often die from dehydration, being eaten, run over, or drowning in swimming pools.

For more information about sea turtle nesting season or the City’s Sea Turtle Ordinance, call Community Development at 239-444-6150 or visit the website CityofBonitaSprings.org.