Sea Turtles Departing Brevard Following Nesting Season
By Space Coast Daily // October 2, 2012
Will Return Next March
BREVARD COUNTY • VIERA, FLORIDA – Sea turtle nesting season ends in Brevard County on Oct. 31.
Leatherback sea turtles came ashore along Brevard County beaches in March and started to lay their eggs.
As the largest living turtles, leatherbacks are range from 6 to 8 feet in length and weigh between 1,200 to 1,500 pounds.
They are the rarest of the three sea turtle species that nest in Brevard County and are an endangered species.
Brevard County residents and visitors are reminded to shield or turn off beachside lights, limit beach walking at night, avoid using flashlights or flash photography on the beach and to stay away from nesting sea turtles, hatchlings, or sea turtle nests through the end of October.
Lights that shine or reflect onto the beach disrupt the instinctive nesting process for sea turtles.
While Brevard County and its municipalities have local lighting ordinances to protect turtles, the ordinances do not take effect until May 1 when Loggerhead sea turtles begin to nest here in large numbers.
Green sea turtles follow shortly thereafter in mid-May, with thousands of nests dotting Brevard beaches by the end of the summer.
For more information about sea turtles or alternative lighting solutions, call the Brevard County Natural Resources Management Office at 321- 633-2016, ext. 52431.
