UCF’s Turtle Research Group is out in full force, tallying the amount of nests and hatchlings on area beaches so far this season.
- UCF researchers tracking sea turtle nests
- More than 14,000 nest this season
- Sea turtle nesting season ends in October
“This is actually the highest nesting year we’ve ever had for green sea turtles in the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge in the Brevard County section or anywhere in the refuge,” UCF graduate student Katrina Phillips said.
UCF says it's counted more than 14,000 nests this seasons. That’s up from last year's total of just under 13,000 nests.
Researchers say they expect to see even more before the season ends at the end of October.
“It’s great news for sure and I think maybe proof that the endangered species act is working, they are getting the protection they need, and the populations are bouncing back,” Phillips said.
An Endangered Species Act was enacted in the early 70s. UCF says green turtles were listed as endangered, but in the past few years, they were bumped down to threatened.
“They’re not quite as endangered as they were so it’s even more promising that there are more nests than there ever were before, it’s really good news,” Phillips said.
Sea turtle nesting season runs from May through October.