10/29/24 @ 6:00 a.m. - For our final Turtle Talk Tuesday of the 2024 nesting season, below is one final update from the Amelia Island Sea Turtle Watch's Executive Director Mary Duffy.
"Sea turtle nesting season has come to an end on Amelia Island. Our first nest was laid on May 5 and our last nest was laid on August 14. We recorded 156 nests for 2024 in the area monitored by AISTW. Amelia Island State Park recorded 3 nests and Ft. Clinch State Park recorded a record 63 nests, for a total of 222 nests on Amelia Island.
In addition to our common loggerhead species, we documented 1 leatherback nest, 1 extremely endangered Kemps Ridley nest, and 1 green turtle nest.
2024 brought a couple of strange events on our beach. Among the most bizarre event, was the discovery of a multi-million dollar’s worth bundle of illegal drugs. When you are the first persons on the beach every morning, there is no telling what you will find.
Amelia Island was also fortunate to experience two sea turtle releases by the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. On both occasions, the rehabilitated sea turtles that were released back to the sea, were turtles that had been rescued on the island. Hundreds of people gathered to watch the releases.
2024 was no different from other years when we experienced tropical storms, hurricanes, and king tides. These events can, and do, have devastating effects on incubating sea turtle nests. Sea turtles, however, are very adaptable animals. By laying multiple nests of nearly 100 eggs each in a given season, sea turtles have hedged their bets against the loss of eggs due to tropical events.
Out of 156 nests, 16 were lost to overall erosion, 2 were destroyed by accretion of sand, 3 were lost to hurricane Debby, and 1 was lost to hurricane Milton.
After each nest incubates and emerges, authorized personnel wait 3 days to inventory each clutch. As data collectors, volunteers categorize and count all remaining contents.
In 2024, the following data was collected:
Dead in the nest: 119
Live in the nest: 106
Pipped dead (egg broken open but hatchling is dead): 118
Pipped live (egg broken open and hatchling is alive): 14
Unhatched (egg is infertile or a hatchling is dead in an unhatched egg): 1,607
Live emerged: 12,281
Over the years, we have determined that numbers such as these are common and proportionate to the total number of eggs laid in a particular season.
As we close out the 2024 sea turtle nesting season, our many thanks go out to all the businesses, community members, and governmental agencies that have supported us along the way. As we approach our 40th anniversary, we are grateful for the extraordinary volunteers who make this group so special. Thank you to all!"
"Sea turtle nesting season has come to an end on Amelia Island. Our first nest was laid on May 5 and our last nest was laid on August 14. We recorded 156 nests for 2024 in the area monitored by AISTW. Amelia Island State Park recorded 3 nests and Ft. Clinch State Park recorded a record 63 nests, for a total of 222 nests on Amelia Island.
In addition to our common loggerhead species, we documented 1 leatherback nest, 1 extremely endangered Kemps Ridley nest, and 1 green turtle nest.
2024 brought a couple of strange events on our beach. Among the most bizarre event, was the discovery of a multi-million dollar’s worth bundle of illegal drugs. When you are the first persons on the beach every morning, there is no telling what you will find.
Amelia Island was also fortunate to experience two sea turtle releases by the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. On both occasions, the rehabilitated sea turtles that were released back to the sea, were turtles that had been rescued on the island. Hundreds of people gathered to watch the releases.
2024 was no different from other years when we experienced tropical storms, hurricanes, and king tides. These events can, and do, have devastating effects on incubating sea turtle nests. Sea turtles, however, are very adaptable animals. By laying multiple nests of nearly 100 eggs each in a given season, sea turtles have hedged their bets against the loss of eggs due to tropical events.
Out of 156 nests, 16 were lost to overall erosion, 2 were destroyed by accretion of sand, 3 were lost to hurricane Debby, and 1 was lost to hurricane Milton.
After each nest incubates and emerges, authorized personnel wait 3 days to inventory each clutch. As data collectors, volunteers categorize and count all remaining contents.
In 2024, the following data was collected:
Dead in the nest: 119
Live in the nest: 106
Pipped dead (egg broken open but hatchling is dead): 118
Pipped live (egg broken open and hatchling is alive): 14
Unhatched (egg is infertile or a hatchling is dead in an unhatched egg): 1,607
Live emerged: 12,281
Over the years, we have determined that numbers such as these are common and proportionate to the total number of eggs laid in a particular season.
As we close out the 2024 sea turtle nesting season, our many thanks go out to all the businesses, community members, and governmental agencies that have supported us along the way. As we approach our 40th anniversary, we are grateful for the extraordinary volunteers who make this group so special. Thank you to all!"
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