Sea turtle season has arrived on Sanibel and the nests are being taped off up and down our beach in preparation for hatchling “special deliveries”!
On your daily beach walk, you’ll see these staked and screened “do not disturb” zones set up to ensure the safety of the nests from predators and human interference. Once the baby loggerhead turtles have hatched, it’s our goal to have them make their way safely to the Gulf of Mexico.
The nest pictured here is close to the edge of the shoreline, making for a relatively short crawl for the little babies.
Sanibel Island’s beaches provide the perfect subtropical nesting area for sea turtles. As such, we ask that you adhere to the following guidelines whenever you visit during turtle nesting season (April 15 – October 31):
1. Turn off ALL lights that could draw attention away from the Gulf of Mexico to the land. Close your curtains or blinds, and NEVER use flashlights or flash photography on the beach after dark.
2. Leave only footprints on the beach after dark. Anything like beach chairs, umbrellas, shoes, sand pails, and so on can easily become huge obstacles for the babies.
3. Fill in any holes after your day at the beach. Make the hatchlings’ pathways as smooth as possible for them!
