Turtle nesting season is coming to a close, giving scientists a chance weigh in on this year's numbers.
Three species of sea turtle that populate the Floridian shores every year include the loggerhead, leatherback and green, with as much as 90 percent of US loggerhead nesting occuring in the Sunshine State, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). However, coastal development and vessel traffic have it and other sea turtle species facing increasingly difficult journeys to and from the busy shores.
In spite of all this, wildlife officials are calling it a comeback year for the green sea turtle which, according to the Herald Tribune, saw a sharp rise in nests located on the beaches running from Manasota Key to Anna Maria Island from just 19 two years ago to 104.
This increase is mirrored across the state: in Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge, considered the most important nesting grounds in North America for green turtles, more than 13,000 nests have been counted so far this year, or more than double the record from two years ago.
"It's astounding," Blair Witherington, a sea turtle expert with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, told the Tribune.
Loggerhead sea turtles, meanwhile, laid a total of 2,240 nests this year on the beaches stretching from Longboat Key through Venice, Longboat Key News reported. This number marks a strong close behind last year's 31-year-record of 2,462.
Artificial lighting along beach fronts are disruptive for hatchlings which use the Moon's light to sense their way back to the ocean. For this reason, the FWC has developed a number of projects designed to reduce the amount of errant lighting.
Individuals can help, too, according to the Sea Turtle Conservancy, by turning off outside patio lights and avoiding the nests while visiting the beach.