Although this is a tourist town, we also have plenty of wildlife to enjoy. This morning as I went out for a walk I noticed an area on the beach marked with colorful ribbons, I was so curious, I had to have a closer look, the sign indicated a Sea Turtle Nest.
Volunteers in the area comb the beaches for signs of Sea Turtles returning to the Gulf Waters after laying her eggs, they mark the area to give the little ones time to incubate, hatch and return to the Gulf waters for a chance of survival.
It will take these eggs 45 to 70 days to hatch depending on the species size, and also the temperature and humidity of the nest. It may take these babies three to seven days to climb to the surface of their nest, then they emerge at night, to avoid daytime predators, and return to the Gulf waters. These babies will swim for 24 to 48 hours to reach deeper waters where they are less vulnerable to predators.
It takes a lot of time and effort for these Sea Turtles to survive and many are on the endangered species list. I hope the tourist will enjoy and respect our beaches and wildlife, please keep in mind we are sharing our beaches with vulnerable baby Sea Turtles. The first obstacle for these babies to overcome is the trip from the nest to the water, this is why we ask....please cover any holes you may dig in the sand during the day and remove all personal items from the beach when you leave for the day. Less obstacles in the sand, means a smoother journey to the Gulf Waters for our little Sea Turtle friends.
Please help us help these babies.
Bev Dudley
Volunteers in the area comb the beaches for signs of Sea Turtles returning to the Gulf Waters after laying her eggs, they mark the area to give the little ones time to incubate, hatch and return to the Gulf waters for a chance of survival.
It will take these eggs 45 to 70 days to hatch depending on the species size, and also the temperature and humidity of the nest. It may take these babies three to seven days to climb to the surface of their nest, then they emerge at night, to avoid daytime predators, and return to the Gulf waters. These babies will swim for 24 to 48 hours to reach deeper waters where they are less vulnerable to predators.
It takes a lot of time and effort for these Sea Turtles to survive and many are on the endangered species list. I hope the tourist will enjoy and respect our beaches and wildlife, please keep in mind we are sharing our beaches with vulnerable baby Sea Turtles. The first obstacle for these babies to overcome is the trip from the nest to the water, this is why we ask....please cover any holes you may dig in the sand during the day and remove all personal items from the beach when you leave for the day. Less obstacles in the sand, means a smoother journey to the Gulf Waters for our little Sea Turtle friends.
Please help us help these babies.
Bev Dudley