Last Month for Sea Turtle Nesting.

Sea Turtle nesting season ends this month of October.  According to Greater Fort Lauderdale’s website, nearly 90% of sea turtle nesting occurs in Florida. And along the Atlantic coast of South Florida there are plenty of nesting sites.

Sea turtles hatchlings use light and reflections from the moon to find their way to the water at night. Artificial lights can discourage turtles from nesting on the beach or finding their way to the water. Beachgoers are encouraged to keep such lights out, keep the beaches clean, and be aware of nearby nesting sites.

Juno Beach has the highest density of nests in the United States and the second highest in the world, according to Visitflorida.com. This website also has a list of locations where people can watch turtle nesting.

However, residents in Broward County feel like their concerns are not being taken into account in regards to the lights out policy for homes and businesses by beaches. Residents feel that the area is too dark and may welcome more crime. Read about the tension between beach residents and turtle advocates in this article written by Sun-Sentinel reporter Larry Barszewski.