If you’ve been to any of our beaches recently, you’ve noticed the wooden sticks buried in sets of three forming a triangle from the red cord that holds them together. This is an indication of turtle nests being protected by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
The Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach is providing guided tours by dozens of education docents to raise awareness and answer any questions about our county’s sea turtle population.
If you love sea turtles as much as Juno Beach and Jupiter residents, you should check out one of the tours. They last for about an hour and provide you with facts on the turtle breeds, how they nest, and most importantly, what you can do to help their numbers continue to grow. You’ll also learn about the conditions of rescued sea turtles, AKA Loggerhead patients.
Public tours are every Sunday at noon, and ever Monday and Friday at 2 p.m. They cost $7 for adults, $5 for children under 12, and free for kids under 3. Oh, and there’s no need to pre-register for these.
Mason Carr measures a turtle’s shell during the fifth annual Loggerhead Marinelife Day at The Gardens Mall. Highlights included a Junior Vet Lab that took participants from sea turtle rescue to release; ocean-inspired stories during Hatchling Tales; and posing for selfies with Fletch, the center’s lovable mascot. (Contributed by Tracey Benson Photography)
There are also private tours offers and even private nighttime tours, but you’ll have to register for these. Whether you go on a tour or not, there are some things you should know, like the fact that sea turtles are timid and easily frightened so don’t go near them during their nesting. You can face charges for disturbing this natural occurrence or reaching for the eggs.
Get more information on turtle nesting in Palm Beach County.
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