PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (WMBB) — Sea turtle nesting season began Wednesday, and Panama City Beach’s Turtle Watch volunteers are ready to help keep the nests safe.
The nesting season runs from May 1 until late October or early November. Turtle watch volunteers are waiting for the first arrivals.
“Air temperature, water temperature, everything is a cue to them because right now they’re offshore. They’re slowly coming in as the current changes,” Panama City Beach Turtle Watch Lead Surveyor Nancy Evou said.
Turtle Watch not only tries to protect the nests, but they also keep a record of the number of nests and hatchlings each season.
“The loggerheads that nest on our beach are threatened to become endangered, so we are trying to protect them from becoming on the endangered species list. We don’t usually have a predator problem because we’re so developed,” Evou said.
Evou said there are steps the public can take to keep turtles and their nests safe.
“We do have a lighting ordinance, so anything on the south side of Front Beach and Thomas Drive is offshore supposed to be under wildlife-friendly lighting. Keep the beach clean, dark, and flat for all wildlife, and it makes it nicer for people to enjoy the beach, too,” Evou said.
Panama City Beach local Avery Whaley said it’s important to keep the gulf clean for sea turtles as well.
“Sea turtles are an important process to the ecosystem that we have, and it’s important to not litter in the ocean. Take your fishing line up. We want to keep this nature, this wildlife looking like it does because it’s just the best in the world.”
Panama City Beach Turtle Watch Surveyors said they expect to find the first sea turtle nest later this month. Volunteers will be monitoring the sea turtles’ progress from now until the eggs in the last nest hatch about 6 months from now.
Turtle watch marks each nest they identify with sticks and yellow caution tape. If you see the markers, stay clear of the nest and do not touch them.
