Did you know that Did you know that there are 7 species of sea turtles in the world? Currently, there are 3 endangered species of sea turtles that nest on Amelia Island. 90% of all sea turtles nesting in the US nest in FL. For this week's Turtle Talk Tuesday, we would like to tell you about the types of sea turtles that nest on Amelia Island.
Loggerhead: This is the most common species to visit Amelia Island. Average adults measure 3 feet in length and weigh about 250 pounds. Their shells are slightly heart-shaped. The top shell is a reddish-brown and the bottom shell is typically a pale, yellow color. In 2022, there were 230 Loggerhead nests on Amelia Island.
Green: These are the largest of the hard-shelled green turtles but have a comparatively small head. A typical adult is about 3-4 feet long and weighs about 300-350 pounds. They have dark brown, grey or olive colored shells and a much lighter, yellow-to-white underside. In 2022, a total of 6 green turtle nests were located on Amelia Island.
Leatherback: Grown leatherbacks average about 6 feet in length and weigh in the range of 500-1500 pounds. The leatherback sea turtle is black with blue, pink and white splotches throughout the body. Unlike other sea turtles with hard shells, the leatherback sea turtle has a shell comprised of a thick layer of fatty tissue overlaid with a mosaic of tiny bones, and covered in a thin layer of skin. The last time a loggerhead was known to lay eggs on Amelia Island was in 2019.
Not only does each sea turtle type vary in color and size, they each have their very own distinct tracks. Volunteers with the Amelia Island Sea Turtle Watch (AISTW) are trained to identify the tracks so they can easily determine which type of turtle has nested. The information is then logged for record keeping purposes. To view historical data from the AISTW, please click here.
-Sabrina Robertson
Public Information Officer