Turtle Nest Monitoring Support

Sea turtle nesting runs annually March through October and is a very exciting and busy time at the park. Although the season doesn't officially start until March 1, park staff has already been on the beach since the beginning of February looking for any signs of a nesting leatherback sea turtle. Every morning during this time the dedicated park rangers and volunteers survey the beach to track and record the number of turtles that come ashore overnight.

Beach Raker works closely with local conservation groups to maintain the safety of these wonderful marine reptiles. During the season, most cities on the coast require residents and businesses to reduce their lights or shield them to avoid impacting the turtles. People can use opaque curtains or blinds to cover their windows visible to the beach after the sun sets.

Artificial lights deter adult females from nesting on the shore and those lights can also confuse the baby turtles that may crawl inland toward storm drains and parking lots. The hatchlings rely on moonlight and its reflection on the water to guide them at night.

Residents and visitors can also help by keeping beaches cleans and knowing the locations of the nesting sites.