A great turnout for our first few nest evaluations
We’ve had a great turnout for our first few nest evaluations!
During a nest evaluation, we dig up the contents of the nest three days after it hatches to determine the success rate of the nest. We count how many eggs were laid, how many hatched, and release any hatchlings found in the nest*.
During the evaluation, we share a lot of fascinating facts about sea turtle biology, the state of sea turtles in Florida and on our beach, and ways you can help protect them. At each of the four nest evaluations so far, we’ve had at least 150 people! Many guests were first-time attendees learning more about sea turtles, what we do, and of course for the opportunity to maybe see a hatchling turtle. At our first evaluation, we released 14 hatchlings, and at our following three evaluations, we didn’t have any hatchlings remaining in the nest when we dug up the contents - meaning they successfully made it out by themselves!
*Viewing hatchlings is not guaranteed and depends on whether any remain in the nest at the time of evaluation, if time allows, and/or if conditions are favorable.
Evaluations will still occur if light rain is present, but we will postpone or cancel if lightning is present, and those announcements will be made on our Facebook page one hour before the scheduled evaluation time. To learn more about when and where to meet for our next nest evaluation, visit our Events page or our Facebook page.
All activities are conducted by authorized personnel under FWC Permit #: MTP-23-029.
Sharing information about the nest evaluation to visiting guests. Photo by Perry Knotts.
At each nest evaluation, we sort the contents of the nest into different categories to determine the hatch success rate of the nest. This helps us understand more about sea turtle populations. Photo by Perry Knotts.
At our first public evaluation of the season, we encountered 14 hatchlings that we released on site. They all energetically scurried to the water under the watchful, and excited, eyes of guests who attended.