Sea Turtle Nesting Season
May 1st – October 31st.
Sea turtles hold a special place in our hearts. These incredible creatures have been roaming the oceans for millions of years, and it’s our mission to protect them every step of the way. From reporting stranded turtles to educating the community about the importance of keeping our beaches clean, we’re dedicated to ensuring they have the chance to thrive.
Join us in our efforts to make a difference for sea turtles and their habitats. Together, we can create a safer, cleaner environment for them to call home. Explore this page to learn more about our conservation efforts, and how you can help protect these ocean wanderers.
Meet our Sea Turtles
The 3 most common sea turtles nesting in Florida are the Loggerhead, Green, and Leatherback. Recently, there have been reports of Kemp’s Ridley nesting in Florida.
Keeping the Beach Clean
Every piece of trash left behind on the beach has the potential to harm sea turtles and other marine life. The easiest and most important ways to protect sea turtles is to pick up litter and leftover beach gear. This junk can become dangerous obstacles for nesting turtles and hatchlings trying to reach the ocean. Trash left behind doesn’t just stay on the sand—it becomes marine debris, polluting the ocean and harming sea life. Every morning, the waves wash up more trash from the sea, reminding us how much ends up in the water. Before you leave the beach, always take everything you brought—pick up all trash, toys, chairs, and beach junk. Even better, grab a few extra pieces of litter on your way out. A clean beach means a safer home for sea turtles and all marine animals.
Sea Turtle Nest in the Dark
Sea turtles come ashore to nest at night, and their hatchlings also emerge after dark. Sea turtles find their way to the ocean by following the natural light of the moon and stars reflecting off the water. Bright white lights from buildings, flashlights, phones, or cars can confuse them, leading them away from the sea and putting their lives in danger. That’s why only turtle-safe lighting—low, red or amber, —is allowed on the beach during nesting season. Turning off unnecessary lights and keeping the beach dark helps protect nesting moms and gives hatchlings the best chance to survive their journey to the ocean.
Keep the Beach Safe: Fill in Holes
We all love building sandcastles and playing at the beach—but digging deep holes and tunnels in the sand can be dangerous.
🚫 Deep holes and sand tunnels can collapse without warning, trapping children and causing serious injury. What seems like harmless fun can quickly become life-threatening.
🚶♀️ People walking or running on the beach can fall into hidden holes, risking sprains, broken bones, or worse.
🚑 Lifesaving vehicles and sea turtle patrols need smooth, flat beaches to move safely and quickly.
🐢 Sea turtles—especially nesting moms and tiny hatchlings—can get trapped or disoriented by uneven sand and deep holes.
Please do your part to help!
Before you leave the beach, always fill in holes, knock down tunnels, and flatten the sand. It only takes a minute, but it makes a huge difference.
A look inside of a sea turtle's nest
The egg chamber is long and narrow, but round at the bottom. It is sometimes described as an upside down light bulb. Turtles lay 80 to 150 eggs in each nest. After 62 days, the eggs hatch and baby sea turtles crawl out and make their way to the ocean as fast as they can. They will spend about 25 years out in the ocean before returning to nest on the same beach where they were hatched.
Beach Junki is a 501c(3) non-profit founded in Fernandina Beach Florida in 2020. Our organization depends on your support to help fund the cost of our outreach programs and educational materials to distribute at events. Thank you for donating to our mission.
Chamber member since 2023
