‘Hands Off’ Sea Turtle Hatchlings, Wildlife Officers Warn

TAMPA BAY, FL — As sea turtle hatchlings begin to emerge from their nests to make their way out to the ocean, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is warning beachgoers to adopt a “hands off” policy.

September and October are the tail end of sea turtle nesting season in Florida and the time when many hatchlings attempt to make their way into the ocean. All too often, state officials say, beachgoers get in the way. Oftentimes, their efforts are well-meaning attempts to “rescue” a turtle by helping it out of a nest or placing it into the ocean. Sometimes, however, people handle hatchlings, thinking it’s acceptable to get close and take a photo.

"Some Florida beachgoers are unaware that sea turtle hatchings should be watched from a distance and left undisturbed,” Dr. Robbin Trindell, who leads the FWC’s sea turtle management program, said in a statement. “Even well-meaning attempts to rescue sea turtle hatchlings can do more harm than good. And digging into a sea turtle nest, entering a posted area, or picking up a sea turtle hatchling to take a photo also are against the law.”

Hatchlings, Trindell said, face many obstacles to survive. Digging out of their nests is one of the first. After that, they must make their way to the sea. The journey from nest to water can be perilous. Any misdirection on their path, such as “artificial lighting to items left on the beach, holes in the sand or people approaching or handling them – may leave them exhausted, lost or dehydrated on the beach in the morning sun,” FWC’s statement said.

“So please remember to keep your hands off sea turtle hatchlings and tell others to do the same,” Trindell said. “The best way to help hatchings is to turn off any artificial lighting on the beach at night or at least keep it shielded. If you see hatchlings, watch from a distance and never shoot flash photos.”

Anyone who spots a hatchling in distress is asked to call FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 1-888-404-3922, or *FWC by cellphone.

Sea turtle nesting season in the Tampa Bay area kicks off in May and runs through October. Sea turtles are protected under federal law. It is illegal to harass or interfere with them in any way or to disturb a nest.

Photo courtesy of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission