St. Lucie County - Thursday August 31, 2023: With a few months left in the sea turtle nesting season, St. Lucie County is experiencing record-breaking numbers of sea turtle nests. However, officials recently found that some individuals recently tampered with nests, including spray painted them.
It is a federal crime to tamper with endangered/threatened sea turtle nests. Anyone witnessing the disruption of nests or the harassment of wildlife should immediately report the incident to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Hotline at 1-888-404-FWCC (3922).
Additionally, biologists anticipate that some sea turtle nests may be impacted by Hurricanes Idalia and Franklin, which could create strong rip currents, heavy surf and some beach erosion along Hutchinson Island’s 21 miles of coastline. If heavy surf and storms expose nests, residents should leave the eggs and hatchlings alone.
There are three types of sea turtles that nest along St. Lucie County beaches between March 1 through Nov. 15 including: Loggerhead, Green and Leatherback Turtles.
For additional tips about keeping our beaches sea-turtle friendly and to see the progress on nesting numbers, visit: www.stlucieco.gov/seaturtleseason.