CLEARWATER, Fla. — CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — Sea turtle nests This year saw an increase in the number of hurricanes along part of Florida’s Gulf Coast before a trio of hurricanes washed many of them away, aquarium officials said Friday.
There were 271 nests documented this year by the Clearwater Marine Aquarium along a 21-mile stretch of beach where their teams patrol during breeding season. That compares with 227 nests in 2023.
The aquarium said in a news release that “a large percentage” of active nests were washed away by Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton. Turtle nesting season generally runs from mid-April to late October along the beaches south of Clearwater. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June to November.
This year also marked the first time a documented leatherback turtle nest was found in Pinellas County. The aquarium’s patrol team also witnessed the leatherback turtle hatchlings making their way to the sea.
Two green turtle nests were also documented. Most of the nests in the area are loggerhead turtles, the most numerous of the turtles that lay their eggs on Florida beaches.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has not yet posted 2024 nesting totals for the entire state. In 2023, the 133,840 loggerhead turtle nests broke a 2016 state record, and the 76,500 green turtle nests were well above 2017 levels.