Florida is a major habitat for sea turtles, acting for multiple species in both the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. The state’s extensive coastline, including its barrier islands and warm waters, provides foraging grounds for juveniles and adults. Florida is one of the most important nesting areas in the Western Hemisphere, with nearly 90% of all sea turtle nesting in the United States occurring on its beaches.
The Species Calling Florida Home
Florida waters host five distinct species of sea turtles, which use the area for various life stages, including foraging and reproduction. The Loggerhead turtle is the most common nester, recognized by its massive, block-like head that powers its strong jaws for crushing hard-shelled prey like conchs and crabs. These turtles are currently listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
The Green turtle, named for the color of its body fat rather than its shell, is the second most frequent nester in the state. Adults are largely vegetarian, feeding on seagrasses and algae. The Leatherback, the largest sea turtle in the world, can grow up to seven feet long and over 2,000 pounds, distinguished by its rubbery, ridgeless carapace. Leatherbacks are deep-ocean dwellers that primarily consume jellyfish and are listed as endangered.
The two remaining species, the Kemp’s Ridley and the Hawksbill, are less common nesters but are regularly found foraging in Florida’s coastal waters. Kemp’s Ridleys are the rarest and most endangered sea turtle globally, characterized by a small size and an olive-green shell. The Hawksbill, which is critically endangered, gets its name from its narrow, raptor-like beak, which it uses to feed primarily on sponges found near coral reefs.
Florida’s Role in Reproduction
Florida’s extensive sandy beaches provide the primary nesting habitat for sea turtles in the United States, with the nesting season generally running from May 1 through October 31. During this time, female turtles emerge, usually at night, to dig a deep egg chamber with their rear flippers, a process that can take over an hour. They deposit a clutch of approximately 100 leathery, golf-ball-sized eggs before covering the nest and returning to the sea.
A single female may lay multiple clutches, typically four to seven, at intervals of about two weeks throughout the season. After an incubation period of 45 to 70 days, the hatchlings emerge. They instinctively crawl toward the brightest natural light source, which is the moon reflecting off the ocean. The central and southern Atlantic coast, especially Brevard County (the Space Coast), consistently records some of the highest nesting densities in the world, particularly for the Loggerhead and Green turtles.
The temperature of the sand within the nest chamber is a significant factor, as it determines the sex of the hatchlings, a process known as temperature-dependent sex determination (TDSD). Warmer temperatures tend to produce female hatchlings, while cooler temperatures yield males. Florida’s typically warm climate therefore plays a direct role in the sex ratio of future sea turtle generations.
Protecting Sea Turtles in Florida
All sea turtles found in Florida are protected under both the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the state’s Marine Turtle Protection Act. These laws prohibit the “take” of any sea turtle, which includes harassing, harming, disturbing nests, or injuring the animals. The state’s protection framework makes it a violation to possess turtle eggs.
A primary focus of conservation efforts is the regulation of artificial lighting on beaches during nesting season, as light disorients both nesting females and emerging hatchlings. Local ordinances require beachfront lights to be turned off, shielded, or converted to long-wavelength (amber or red) fixtures that are less disruptive to the turtles. This is especially enforced between May and October from 9:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
The public is asked to help protect these animals by removing all beach furniture, toys, and gear from the sand at night, and filling in any large holes or trenches that could trap a turtle. If an adult turtle or a nest is encountered, observers should maintain a significant distance and avoid using flashlights or flash photography, which can interfere with the nesting process. Injured turtles or disoriented hatchlings should be reported immediately to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) for professional assistance.