Help Save Our Sea Turtles

Marine life sightings can be the highlight of your beach vacation. Among the many exciting things you might come across are sea turtles. Nesting season began in May and continues through October so it’s a good time to go over some reminders. The South Walton Turtle Watch is a group of volunteers who locate endangered and threatened sea turtle nests and protect them along the beaches of Northwest Florida. While we may not all have the time or resources to volunteer, we can still do our part to contribute to sea turtle safety. Nests and tracks are found fairly regularly around the Blue Mountain and Seagrove Beach areas.  If we come across sea turtles or nests on the beach, do not go near them.  They are protected by the Endangered Species Act and only those with special permits are allowed to touch the nests, turtles, or hatchlings. If you see any sea turtle activity, contact the Walton County Sheriff. When you leave the beach, fill in holes and smooth out sandcastles. Then turtles have a safe path from their nests to the water. Throw all trash away in designated bins. Leftover beach toys, plastic cups, straws, bottles – all things that are found in the sand from Destin beaches to Panama City that can be dangerous to the turtles (and other animals). Sea turtles eat jellyfish and may confuse them with plastic bags which can choke them. These majestic creatures are endangered and we would hate to stop seeing them. So take the time before you leave the beach to leave it in even better shape than when you found it. There’s a reason we all keep coming back and we want to keep our beaches safe and beautiful.  

Published on Tuesday, July 21, 2015