9/3/24 @ 10:00 a.m.
It's turtle nesting season! From May 1st - October 31st each year, sea turtles visit Amelia Island beaches to nest, and it's up to all of us to make their visit as safe as possible! During this turtle nesting season, we are introducing "Turtle Talk Tuesday". Every Tuesday, we will provide you with facts about our local turtle population and what is being done to protect them.
NESTING SEA TURTLES
Have you ever wondered about the process of a nesting sea turtle? Well, you no longer have to wonder. Below is some information from the Sea Turtle Conservancy which will provide you with insight on this very interesting topic.
The female turtle emerges at night and ascends to the beach, searching for a suitable nesting spot. Once choosing a site, she using all four flippers to begin digging a pit. Once the pit is complete, she begins to dig an egg chamber using her rear flippers, alternating between the right and left flipper to scoop out damp sand. When she can reach no deeper, she will stop and contractions will begin. Following each contraction, the mother will drop between one and four eggs in short intervals until the chamber is nearly full. She will then use her rear flippers to replace the sand on top of the chamber until the eggs are completely covered. She will then pat down the area using the underside of her shell to camouflage the area. Slowly moving forward, she continues to flip dry sand behind her in an effort to conceal the location of her eggs from predators. The eggs will then incubate for approximately 60 days before hatching.
Below is a fun graphic from the Inwater Research Group showing the Anatomy of a Nesting Sea Turtle. Enjoy!
-Sabrina Robertson
Public Information Officer
It's turtle nesting season! From May 1st - October 31st each year, sea turtles visit Amelia Island beaches to nest, and it's up to all of us to make their visit as safe as possible! During this turtle nesting season, we are introducing "Turtle Talk Tuesday". Every Tuesday, we will provide you with facts about our local turtle population and what is being done to protect them.
NESTING SEA TURTLES
Have you ever wondered about the process of a nesting sea turtle? Well, you no longer have to wonder. Below is some information from the Sea Turtle Conservancy which will provide you with insight on this very interesting topic.
The female turtle emerges at night and ascends to the beach, searching for a suitable nesting spot. Once choosing a site, she using all four flippers to begin digging a pit. Once the pit is complete, she begins to dig an egg chamber using her rear flippers, alternating between the right and left flipper to scoop out damp sand. When she can reach no deeper, she will stop and contractions will begin. Following each contraction, the mother will drop between one and four eggs in short intervals until the chamber is nearly full. She will then use her rear flippers to replace the sand on top of the chamber until the eggs are completely covered. She will then pat down the area using the underside of her shell to camouflage the area. Slowly moving forward, she continues to flip dry sand behind her in an effort to conceal the location of her eggs from predators. The eggs will then incubate for approximately 60 days before hatching.
Below is a fun graphic from the Inwater Research Group showing the Anatomy of a Nesting Sea Turtle. Enjoy!
-Sabrina Robertson
Public Information Officer
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