Sea turtles had a much better nesting season on Keewaydin Island this year than in 2024 when a tropical storm and two hurricanes raked Southwest Florida beaches.
The Conservancy of Southwest Florida’s sea turtle research team counted 558 nests this year on the island, all loggerhead nests except three from green turtles. This year, more than 38,000 hatchlings made it into the Gulf and swam away.
Due to Tropical Storm Debbie, and hurricanes Helene and Milton, more than 180 nests didn’t make it in 2024 – about 43 percent. About 15,000 hatchlings made it into the Gulf last year.
The conservancy began monitoring sea turtle nesting activity on Keewaydin in 1983, making it one of the longest-running sea turtle monitoring programs in the county. That year, about 50 turtles nested on the island.
Nesting numbers since then show encouraging long-term trends on Keewaydin despite yearly variations and environmental challenges, which include coyotes and feral hogs digging up the nests and eating the eggs as well as the lasting impacts of recent hurricanes that altered the beach landscape.
Keewaydin is an 8-mile-long barrier island south of Naples in Collier County.
There are seven species of sea turtle: green turtle, hawksbill, leatherback, loggerhead, olive ridley, Kemp's ridley, and flatback. All but the olive ridley and flatback are found in Florida.
Environmental reporting for WGCU is funded in part by VoLo Foundation, a non-profit with a mission to accelerate change and global impact by supporting science-based climate solutions, enhancing education, and improving health.
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