May marks the official start of sea turtle nesting season in Georgia. Did you know nesting sea turtles return to the beach where they hatched to lay their own eggs? How incredible! Nesting season lasts through October so beach goers, locals and visitors alike should be vigilant when frequenting our beaches over the next several months.
Here are a few ways you can help support nesting sea turtles this season:
1. Fill in any holes you dig during your day at the beach. Holes can trap nesting mothers and hatchlings.
2. Lights out for sea turtles! No lights on the beach at night! Lighting on or near the beach can cause sea turtles to become disoriented and wander away from the shoreline. If you must have lights, use a red filtered light, but no lights are best!
3. If you see a crawl or a mama turtle, stay away and keep others away too. Mamas can easily be spooked into not nesting.
Let’s all do our part to make our beaches safe and inviting for these nesting mamas! Lastly, please remember, sea turtles are a protected species through the Endangered Species Act and it is unlawful to touch, impede, touch, harm or tamper with any sea turtle or their eggs.
