Sea Turtle Nesting
2010 Nests
“Endangered” and “threatened” are not good words…
Question: How many sea turtle hatchlings have been released into the Gulf of Mexico by the CMA staff and volunteer team in the last two years!
Answer: 12,802
In addition to our sea turtle rehabilitation work, we also are honored to have been selected by Pinellas County to monitor nearly 26 miles of Pinellas County’s coast line and report on any nesting activity. The combination of releasing injured and sick turtles back into the wild while ensuring as many hatchlings as possible make it into the Gulf is our way of protecting these species from extinction.
Our sea turtle nesting work involves early morning patrols to locate new nesting sites, and late night patrols to check existing nests for hatchlings. The morning patrols are usually done by staff, interns, and volunteers who are trained to recognize the tracks left behind by the nesting females. Once we find these tracks, we can locate the egg cavity and mark off the nest site for further observations. We also GPS-locate the nest to ensure its location remains easy to find for daily observation.
Lights Out!
When the nests are ready to hatch, we cover the nest with a nest cage and have volunteers watch the nests from 10 pm until 2 am. These cages are essential in our area due to development on our beaches, since the turtles emerge at night and head toward bright lights. When they emerge into the cage we can then make sure they make it to the water safely.
Nesting begins in May and the last nest will usually hatch by the end of October. Our area averages about 120 nests per season and each nest can contain, on average, 100 to 110 eggs.
DEADLINE to ADOPT: September 30
Any adoptions after the 31st will apply to the following nesting season.
- Letter with Nest # and specs after hatching
- Certificate
- Pictures
- Letter with Nest # and specs after hatching
- Certificate
- Pictures
- Nesting Video
- Letter with Nest # and specs after hatching
- Certificate
- Pictures
- Nesting Video
- Plush Turtle
Adopt a Nest today!
If you wish to pay by check or cash, please print out form and send in with payment to:
Clearwater Marine Aquarium
Attn: Adopt a Nest
249 Windward Passage
Clearwater, FL 33767
