Protected Turtle Eggs at Sunset in Naples Beach

Protected turtle eggs nests started to appear in Southwest Florida.

Out of the five species of sea turtles found in Florida waters—all protected under the Federal Endangered Species Act of 1973 and the Florida Marine Turtle Protection Act—Loggerheads are the predominant species coming to the coasts of Naples and Collier County every year.

From May, female Loggerhead sea turtles start nesting their eggs through August. Little turtles—hatchlings— will crack open their shells around sixty days after nesting, naturally guided by their instincts to aim their crawling to the bright horizon to reach the sea as soon as possible.

Turtles are precious animals that we need to care for and protect. Out of hundreds of Loggerhead nests that occur in Collier County, we can spot dozens of these nests in one beach stroll, carefully signaled by volunteers and county personnel to help people maintain distance and disturbance from the turtle eggs. Do your part! Keep the shores clean and free of objects, turn off unnecessary lights, help people understand the importance of respecting these protected turtle eggs nests.

For more about turtles and turtle eggs nests in the Gulf of México, check these interesting pages:

→ Collier County Sea Turtle Protection

→ Turtle Time, a non-profit organization based in Southwest Florida

→ Nesting Gulf of Mexico loggerhead turtles face offshore risks