Sea turtle nesting season begins; 2 nests already confirmed along the Gulf Coast

Whitney Leibold
·2 min read

GULF SHORES, Ala. (WKRG) — Sea turtle nesting season has officially begun on the Gulf Coast.

The most precious sight: baby turtles being hatched on the beach. May 1 marked the official first day of the sea turtle nesting season.

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Chandra Wright, a member of the Share the Beach organization, told News 5 which turtle species comes to our area.

“Most of our sea turtles that nest here in Alabama are going to be loggerhead sea turtles, they are known to nest and hatch at night so they come in in the middle of the night,” Wright said.

Two nests have already been spotted: one in Dauphin Island and the other in Bon Secour.

Last season, there were 143 nests across the state, and Wright said it’s too tough to predict how many we could see this season.

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During the next few months, you may see a sea turtle nest roped off in the sand on the beach. Wright said there are some things to remember if you see one.

The No. 1 rule: if you’re out on the beach in the dark, make sure those white flashlights are turned off.

“If we are loud and trying to take flash photography using those bright white lights, that’s going to scare the momma sea turtle,” Wright said. “It also disorients them and disorients the babies.”

And if you’re caught messing with a nest or a sea turtle, there are harsh punishments as they are protected by the Endangered Species Act in Alabama.

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“It is a federal offense if you disturb,” Wright said. “That’s everything from harassing a sea turtle. We have had some instances of harassment or messing with a nest, the tracks. It could be a criminal fine or jail time.”

The nesting season concludes at the end of August. And if you happen to find a nest on the beach, you can call the sea turtle hotline at 1-866-SEA TURTLE.

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