Turtle Nesting Season on the Gulf Coast

Turtle nesting season runs from May through late October, so if you are on vacation in Northwest Florida or Coastal Alabama, you might have the magical experience of seeing a turtle nest! There are many organizations and volunteers devoted to marking off known turtle nest areas and ensuring the safety of the hatchlings. There are also educational beach walks and special tours that specifically focus on viewing and learning about turtle nests.

While there are people working hard to keep the turtles and their nests protected, there are precautions we can all take to help these hatchlings make it. Sea turtles are an endangered species, so it’s important that we all work together to keep the turtles as safe as possible.

Here are a few tips that we can follow to help Northwest Florida and Coastal Alabama sea turtles and their hatchlings:

• Flatten any sandcastles or mounds of sand you may have created during your time at the beach. Also, fill in any holes. The baby hatchlings have to make their way to the water even though they are very small, so any obstacle can cause them to not make it.
• Use a flashlight that emits red light when you are on the beach. White lights confuse turtles and can cause them to get off course.
• Do not leave any trash on the beach. Just don’t.
• Report any sightings to the sheriff’s department. There are organizations devoted to keeping these turtles safe, so it’s important any activity is reported.

Be sure to be mindful of our turtle friends and the other wildlife that makes this area so special. Just follow these tips and we are sure you will have an amazing time while on vacation in Northwest Florida!