If you have beach plans for the Labor Day Weekend, you’re not alone!
Sea turtles and shorebirds are still using Florida’s sandy shorelines as important nesting habitat.
Recommended Videos
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is sharing the reminder that beachgoers can help nesting sea turtles and their emerging hatchlings, along with shorebirds and flightless chicks, by giving them space, removing beach gear at night, keeping beaches clean and dark, and filling in holes dug in the sand before you leave.
Florida’s sandy beaches provide important nesting habitat for several species of imperiled sea turtles, and their hatchlings are still emerging from nests on many beaches around the state.
Any interference while hatchlings try to make their way to the ocean, including artificial lights and people or pets getting too close, can cause hatchlings to be confused and lose their way, endangering their chances of survival.
All species of sea turtles and their nests are protected and should not be disturbed — it is illegal to harm, harass or take nesting sea turtles, their eggs and hatchlings.
Shorebirds and seabirds are also dependent on our beaches for successful nesting, resting and migrating.
While shorebird nesting is winding down for the season, flightless chicks and juveniles are still present with their parents on many beaches.
The Florida coast also hosts vulnerable shorebirds and seabirds year-round. Birds like the piping plover and red knot are returning to Florida’s beaches to refuel during migration and stay for the winter.
Giving shorebirds and seabirds space to rest and forage benefits their survival all year.
People visiting the beach can take a few simple actions this weekend and beyond to help both sea turtles and shorebirds:
- Give sea turtles, emerging hatchlings and shorebirds space. Getting too close — less than 50 feet — to sea turtle hatchlings or nesting sea turtles can prevent them from getting to where they need to go. Remember – it is illegal to harm or disturb nesting sea turtles, their nests and eggs, or to pick up hatchlings. If an animal changes its behavior when you approach, that is a sign that you might be too close.
- Keep dogs leashed and far from any wildlife and posted areas, including visible sea turtle nests, if bringing your pup to dog-friendly beaches. Even friendly dogs can be seen as predators by shorebirds, which can cause them to flush and leave their chicks.
- While not a common occurrence, be on the lookout for disoriented sea turtles and hatchlings, or young, flightless shorebirds in unexpected places, such as coastal sidewalks or roadways. Drive slowly along coastal routes to help keep both wildlife and human pedestrians safe. If you find a sea turtle hatchling or adult sea turtle in distress, please immediately call the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922) for further guidance.
- Close curtains after dark to help ensure nesting turtles are not disturbed by interior lights as they come ashore, and hatchlings are not disoriented as they emerge from their nests. Make sure any required exterior lighting adjacent to nesting beaches is long, low and shielded. Avoid using any color flashlight, cell phone lights and taking flash photos after dark on the beach.
- Clear the way at the end of the day to help nesting sea turtles, emerging hatchlings and shorebirds. Obstacles on the beach and holes in the sand can trap or prevent sea turtle hatchlings from reaching the water and adult sea turtles from being able to nest, so it is important to remove all beach toys and furniture before leaving. If you or your family dig a hole on the beach, keep it closer to the water line to avoid active sea turtle nests and make sure you fill it back in before leaving to avoid trapping sea turtles and hatchlings as well as flightless shorebird chicks.
- Trash and food scraps attract predators that can prey on sea turtle hatchlings and flightless shorebirds, so it is important to properly dispose of these items after a day at the beach. Fishing line can be deadly to sea turtles, waterbirds and other wildlife, so be sure to dispose of it properly. To find a monofilament recycling station near you, visit mrrp.myfwc.com.
For more information about nesting sea turtles and how you can help, visit MyFWC.com/SeaTurtle or see the FWC’s “Be a Beach Hero” brochure.
For more information about nesting shorebirds, go to MyFWC.com/Shorebirds and download the “Share the Beach with Beach-Nesting Birds” brochure.