Hurricanes Wipe Out Florida Gulf Coast Sea Turtle Nests After Record-breaking Nesting Season

Sea turtle nests tripled this year along Florida’s Gulf Coast before being wiped away by three hurricanes, aquarium officials said Friday.

This year, the Clearwater Marine Aquarium reported 271 nests along a 21-mile stretch of coastline that their staff patrolled during nesting season. This compared to 227 nests in 2023.

According to a news release from the aquarium, Hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton wiped away “a large percentage” of active nests.

Turtle hatching season normally lasts from mid-April until the end of October on beaches south of Clearwater. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June to November.

This year also saw the discovery of the first known leatherback turtle nest in Pinellas County. The aquarium’s patrol team was also able to see the leatherback hatchlings make their way to sea.

Two green turtle nests were also identified. Most of the nests in the region are from loggerhead turtles, the most common type of turtle that lays eggs on Florida beaches.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has yet to release 2024 nest totals for the entire state. In 2023, the 133,840 loggerhead nests exceeded a state record set in 2016, while the 76,500 green turtle nests were significantly higher than the mark set in 2017.