The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) sea turtle team has been busy analyzing the data from last summer’s nesting season, and the stories they’ve uncovered are inspiring! From May to July, dedicated volunteers patrolled the beaches under the starry skies, tagging nesting turtles and gathering valuable information. This year, the theme for naming newly tagged turtles was “female musicians,” adding a touch of fun to this crucial research.
“These tags allow us to track individual turtles, revealing their nesting habits and movements,” explains SCCF Sea Turtle Biologist Savannah Weber. “This data helps us understand their reproductive behavior and identify trends, ultimately aiding in conservation efforts.”
Beyond tagging, the team assesses hatch success for each nest, estimating the number of tiny hatchlings entering the ocean. Here are some of the most fascinating “sea turtle stars” of 2023:
Most Encounters:
- Pat Benatar: This loggerhead, encountered for the first time in 2023, nested twice and false crawled (came ashore without laying eggs) six times. While one nest succumbed to coyotes, the other boasted a remarkable 84.8% hatch success, releasing 56 hatchlings!
- Cyphoma: First tagged on Sanibel in 2016, this shell-inspired name reappeared in 2020 and 2023. Despite challenges from coyotes and Hurricane Idalia, her six nests produced 50 hatchlings in total.
Highest Number of Hatchlings:
- Fergie: Another loggerhead newcomer, Fergie laid four nests with perfect hatching success, contributing a whopping 212 hatchlings to the ocean!
- Candystick Tellin’: This returning loggerhead, tagged in 2016 and seen again in 2018 and 2021, laid four nests this past summer, adding 191 hatchlings to the population.
Smallest and Largest:
- Raspberry: This impressive loggerhead, measuring nearly 4 feet in shell length, nested twice with impressive hatch success (74.2% and 93.6%), resulting in 184 hatchlings!
- Little Mix: The smallest loggerhead encountered, this first-timer’s single nest boasted a 93.1% hatch success rate, welcoming 54 hatchlings to the world.
“Tagging these turtles allows us to track their individual journeys over the years,” says Weber. “We learn where they nest, how often, and how successful their nests are, providing invaluable insights for sea turtle conservation.”
By understanding these incredible creatures, we can better protect them and ensure their populations thrive for generations to come. So, let’s give a big applause to these “sea turtle stars” and the dedicated SCCF team working tirelessly for their future!
Click here for more info
