CREST Community Responsibility for Endangered Sea Turtles

04/10/2024

Back to beach walks at sunrise and turtle tracks!

02/06/2024

😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

12/12/2023

THIS IS WHAT BABY TURTLE TRACKS ARE SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE WITHOUT CONDO LIGHTS ON (lights on at night ultimately result in the deaths of thousands of baby turtles in front of each condo up and down Hutchinson Island.)

Isn’t it beautiful when the babies are allowed to do what nature intended instead of crawling to their deaths towards Condo lights??? Birds, fire ants, crabs, dehydration, exhaustion, etc take their toll on them because they are crawling towards condo lights that are brighter than reflection of moonlight on ocean as nature intended.

Send us a message if you would like to join efforts in reducing lights on Hutchinson so that we can begin making every turtle life count.

Make a difference.

Hatchling stampede! In the overnight hours, at least a hundred hatchlings came from this nest and made their way to the water, leaving their hurried tracks behind. Because this nest is within the refuge, there was no disorientation toward any lights in the distance and all hatchlings went straight to the water.

We are still having a dozen or two nests hatching each night ❤️

📷

10/14/2023

It's washback season! Washbacks are post-hatchling sea turtles that hatched earlier in the season and swam offshore to the Sargasso Sea where they hang out in the sargassum mats! Unfortunately, sometimes storms, intense wave action, and wind can disrupt their sargassum mats and bring them back to shore. 🐢🏖

If you see a washback on the beach either flag one of our surveyors down on the beach if we are nearby or call a local organization dedicated to helping sea turtles like the Sea Turtle Preservation Society (STPS)! 📞

⬇️ Below is a photo to help you identify a washback! They are just slightly bigger than a hatchling.

As of 14 October, here are the number of nests recorded on the Brevard County portion of the ACNWR:
Leatherback - 34
Loggerhead - 15,174
Green Turtle - 23,218
Kemp’s Ridley - 1

Photo by M. Moonstone, UCF MTRG: Washback found in the sargassum. Photo was taken while conducting permitted research activities. Please do not use our photos without permission, but please do like and share our posts!

09/30/2023

09/13/2023

Record breaking year means we smile and do better next year. With zero lights on the beach.

Sea Turtle Nesting Update!
Green turtles and loggerheads continue to build on a record-breaking year for nests, according to preliminary counts!

The preliminary statewide totals as of August 31st are as follows:
🥚 133,414 loggerheads nests (previous annual record was 122,707 in 2016)
🥚 74,308 green turtle nests (previous annual record was 53,102 in 2017)
🥚 1,748 leatherback nests
🥚 10 confirmed Kemp’s ridleys nests

Leatherback and loggerhead nesting season has essentially concluded for the year, but green turtles will continue to nest to some extent in September. How did sea turtle nests fare during Hurricane Idalia? Our researchers are currently collecting information on the effect that the storm had on active nests, but fortunately, sea turtles have a nesting strategy that accommodates for such natural events. Each female lays several nests throughout the nesting season, hedging her bets to make sure that even if a storm hits at some point, there is a high probability at least a few of the nests will incubate successfully. In addition, we have reports that turtles continued to nest in several areas around the state following the storm. Thankfully, no storm season is a total loss for Florida’s sea turtles!

Please report sea turtles that are sick, injured, dead, entangled or are in danger to the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline (888-404-3922).

Background photo by Karrie Singel.

09/01/2023

If you're heading to the beach for Labor Day weekend, please remember to be respectful of the local wildlife, especially the sea turtles who are still nesting and hatching right now. Some friendly reminders:
🚤 While boating, be aware of surfacing sea turtles and other marine life that may be in the area
👣 Leave Only Footprints: remove all personal belongings, furniture, and trash from the beach each day
🔦 White lights from flashlights & cell phones can scare off nesting turtles and disorient hatchlings
⚠️ Holes on the beach are hazardous for people and wildlife. Fill in holes and flatten sandcastles at the end of your beach day
💚 Have a fun, safe and healthy weekend everyone!

Photo credit: Ruthi Jackson

08/27/2023

08/25/2023

75.7K likes, 1584 comments. “everything has a spirit”

08/16/2023

TURTLE RESCUE STORY:

1) I’d like to say that we all know not to touch mom or baby turtles. But I’m going to reiterate it. DO NOT TOUCH baby turtles! Unless you are doing a rescue, there’s NO NEED to touch one.

2) AND DO NOT EVER DIG INTO A NEST. FEDERAL LAW!!! I saw it twice in same week-once was a bunch of kids and once was an ADULT WOMAN in front of nettles. With other adults watching her!!! You could be collapsing the nest and burying the rest alive. LET NATURE BE BORN!!

3) The turtles don’t need help moving or climbing. If you want to help, KEEP THE BIRDS AWAY!!!

4) Turtles do not hatch with their mothers around. The mom lays the eggs and goes back to ocean for next round. So no, they don’t need protecting because their mom is ‘missing!’

AEI had just taken little ‘ZORRO’ turtle with the bird slash on his shoulder. She drove north on ATV, we walked south.

We witnessed another turtle with broken back flipper on starboard side.

THANK YOU TO THE LADY WHO POSTED WHAT TO DO WHEN FINDING INJURED TURTLES!!! I can’t remember your name-but I remembered your instructions and advice! 🥰🥰🥰

NOW, for the rest of the story…..

When it was apparent AEI girl was nowhere to be seen, (zoom zoom) I gently picked him up and put him on wet clump of sand that one of the girls put in my hand. I put wet sand on his shell to keep from drying his shell out.

When I read what the WeGoOut lady posted on what exactly to do when you find an injured hatchling, I found a small styrofoam cooler and stashed in my truck. Just in case. This was super recent too!

He wasn’t moving much at all on the clump, just closed his eyes and rested. If a sunbeam hit his face, his lil eyes popped open, trying to be alert. So I shaded him. I sat the clump of sand with him on it ever so gently in my styrofoam box. Ready for his ambulance ride. 🚑🚑🚑🐢🐢🐢

In my mind I named him Wego. 🥰 He seemed comfy and resting, but not when I started my diesel and he felt the vibration he was on FULL ALERT. Not every day a turtle gets to ride in a truck and feel diesel power. 🤷‍♀️🐢🛻

He seemed to get used to the vibration and stopped wiggling his flippers on the ride to Florida Oceanographic Society this morning.

It was easy to find. See attached video. It’s the place across from Elliott museum. As soon as I pulled in I was nervous about finding “the cooler.” But it was right there. In your face. On the steps. Plain view. With directions. 🥰✅

The directions are simple. Stick him in there with no water or sand. Call Brittney at the phone number on top of cooler, leave message and where you found him.

That’s it.

((If this happens to you, TAKE A PHOTO where you found him. Your photo has the gps location and you can convey that to Brittney also! -that’s my turtle tip for the day!))

It took about 15 minutes out of my life. But to this baby turtle, it’s his WHOLE LIFE.

DO THE RIGHT THING PEOPLE. Don’t touch nests, don’t dig nests, don’t touch moms or babies. IF YOU SEE THIS HAPPENING, stick up for the turtles. They can’t. We have the responsibility to because we chose to live here. ✅ Today was first time I’ve touched a baby turtle. 🥰 I hope lil Wego makes it! 🥰🥰

Here’s some video of lil Wego and his adventures with us this morning.

Now we ALL know what to do if we find injured hatchling.

Together, we CAN make a difference for this endangered species.

08/12/2023