The 2024 sea turtle nesting season in Florida officially came to a close on October 31, marking another active year for the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation’s (SCCF) sea turtle team. Dedicated volunteers and conservationists spent months protecting and monitoring nests across Sanibel and Captiva islands, resulting in impressive totals.
2024 Nesting Season Highlights
As of October 30, SCCF reported the following preliminary counts for the season on Sanibel and Captiva:
- Loggerhead Turtles:
- 839 nests
- 16,722 emerged hatchlings
- Green Turtles:
- 3 nests
- 34 emerged hatchlings
- Leatherback Turtles:
- 1 nest
- 40 emerged hatchlings
Statewide, loggerhead and leatherback nests reflected a robust year, while green turtle numbers saw a slight decrease, which is part of normal cyclical patterns. Meanwhile, Kemp’s ridley sea turtles might be on the brink of a record-breaking season across Florida.
The SCCF extended heartfelt thanks to the dedicated volunteers who contributed countless hours to safeguard and document sea turtle activity on the islands. Their efforts are crucial to the success of conservation initiatives and the protection of these remarkable marine animals.
For more updates on SCCF’s conservation efforts and ways to get involved, visit SCCF.
