First sea turtle nest reported at National Seashore

GULF BREEZE — Biologists at Gulf Islands National Seashore have discovered the first sea turtle nest of the season, according to a news release from the National Park Service.

The nest was discovered early Wednesday and has been identified as belonging to a loggerhead turtle.

Each year, beginning in mid-May and ending in late summer, the National Seashore provides nesting habitat for several species of sea turtles. The loggerhead is the most common species seen nesting, but Kemp’s ridley, green and occasionally leatherback sea turtles also nest within the seashore, which stretches from western Florida into Mississippi.

Turtle nesting season faces some man-made pressures. Adult and hatchlings are distracted or disoriented by artificial light sources, which draw them away from the Gulf of Mexico. Disoriented turtles often die from dehydration, are preyed upon by coyotes or ghost crabs, or sometimes crawl onto roads or parking lots where they are run over by cars.

In the news release, the National Park Service urged people to turn off excess outdoor lights and install turtle-friendly lights to help protect nesting and hatching sea turtles. Staffers with the National Seashore recently completed a large wildlife-friendly lighting project, retrofitting and replacing necessary outdoor fixtures and eliminating unnecessary fixtures. Park biologists used amber-colored LED lights that are shielded and installed as low as possible.

“Ensuring the continued survival of nesting sea turtles requires all of us in the community to continue to limit our impact and work to preserve the incredible habitat offered by the National Seashore,” Gulf Islands National Seashore Superintendent Dan Brown said in the news release.

Park staff and volunteers monitor beaches daily for nesting and hatching activity. Anyone who sees a sea turtle at night should keep their distance and keep all lights off, including flashlights and flash photography.

The National Park Service also has announced that the National Seashore's redesigned turtle magnets for vehicles will be available for visitors to pick up.

Magnets are available at the Fort Pickens Discovery Center and Entrance Station, park headquarters in Gulf Breeze and the Perdido Key Entrance Station. This year’s magnet features a slightly redesigned turtle and a message to reminding everyone to turn out the lights for sea turtles.