First-ever recorded leatherback sea turtle nest on Manasota Key

Writer: Carolina Guzman
Published: Updated:
Credit: Charlotte County Parks and Recreation

Charlotte County’s coastal team is celebrating the first-ever recorded leatherback sea turtle nest on Manasota Key.

According to Charlotte County Parks and Recreation, leatherbacks, the largest species of sea turtles, usually nest on Florida’s east coast, making this a rare event for beaches on the Gulf.

These creatures are known for their unique “spacer eggs,” which help cushion their clutches.

Earlier this year, Coastal Wildlife Club volunteers discovered the nest, monitored it daily, and recently completed its inventory, which included 12 healthy hatchlings, 67 unhatched eggs, 26 dead pipped eggs and 39 spacer eggs.

Leatherbacks are capable of diving up to 4,000 feet deep and help keep our oceans balanced by feasting on jellyfish, which eat fish larvae.

Protecting them means protecting our ocean ecosystems.

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