Please help us help the sea turtles!

A large percentage of sea turtles that are found deceased and have a necropsy done on them to discover cause of death, are found to have intestinal tracts full of trash and plastics in particular. We need your help in protecting them because we can work as hard as we do to help them make it to the water safely as hatchlings but we can’t extend our protection past the time they enter the water. If they are not making it to adulthood because of trash or obstacles, then we aren’t doing all that we as humans can do. Please take all that you brought onto the beach with you off when you leave. Leave only footprints 👣 This includes all trash and structures such as tents, canopies, shade devices, etc. They can become entanglement threats to sea turtles trying to nest or hatchlings trying to make it to the ocean. They both need to do this process as quickly as possible to lessen their exposure to possible predators or to get out before the heat of the day overtakes them. Fill in all holes for the same reason and leave lights off on the beach at night. Adults but hatchlings especially are very susceptible to becoming disoriented/misoriented by lights and can easily be led in the wrong direction, often resulting in their demise. Another way to help is by keeping dogs on a leash as it is just their nature to investigate other moving things. Staying off the dunes also helps protect their nesting environment for the future as well as protecting the beach we all love!

If you do happen to be lucky enough to come upon a nesting female or a hatchling, please observe from a distance behind them and out of their peripheral vision so as not to discourage them from naturally doing what they are attempting to do. They don’t naturally know that we are not a predator. No one should ever get between them and the direction they are heading or cut off their path to the ocean. Please don’t use flash photography to get a picture. Thank you all for your help in ensuring the longevity of this amazing species! We appreciate all you do to help!