Travelbiz E-Zine
4
March
2025

March Marks The Start Of The Sea Turtle Season On The Space Coast

#Traveltradetogether

Florida´s Space Coast is ready for the sea turtle season again! Every year from March to October Leatherbacks, Loggerheads, Green Sea Turtles and sometimes Kemps Ridley turtles return to the beaches to lay their clutches of eggs. In 2023 more than 52,000 sea turtle nests were counted on the beaches of Florida´s Space Coast!

From the northernmost point of the Canaveral National Seashore to the Beaches of the Sebastian Inlet in the South, visitors and residents must be on alert to protect turtles and their nests. Depending on the species these nests will be up against the dunes or right in the middle of the beach. Organisations such as the Sea Turtle Preservation Society mark these nests with wooden stakes, so visitors are aware and do not disturb them. When the turtles leave the nests, they make distinctive tracks leading to the ocean which vary by turtle species; these can best been seen at sunrise before the tide and the winds erase them. As the season progresses, the chances of spotting the hatchlings increases as incubation varies from 45 – 75 days depending on species. Normally the hatchlings emerge in the dark and use the moon´s reflection on the waves to guide them to the ocean.

The Space Coast is fortunate to offer nesting grounds to four types of sea turtles. The Loggerhead is the largest of the hard-shell turtles and is named for its massive head and strong jaws. Its shell is heart-shaped with a reddish-brown colour. It is also the most common turtle in Florida. The Green Turtle has a wide, smooth shell and is named “green” because of its body fat, not its shell, which is browner in colour. Green turtles have a non-retractable head that are relatively small in comparison to its large shell and can weigh over 300 kilos. The Leatherback is the largest of all sea turtles at up to 7 feet long and weighing over 450 kilos. Leatherbacks embark on the longest migration distances between breeding and feeding at around 3,700 miles each way. Sometimes the region is graced with the Kemps Ridley Turtle; these are some of the smallest of the sea turtles only reaching up to 2 feet and no more than 45 kilos. Its shell is hard and greenish-grey while its belly is off-white or yellow. The Green, Leatherback, and Kemps Ridley Turtles are all considered endangered species.

A safe way for visitors to witness this phenomenon is to participate in a Sea Turtle walk, these are offered at the Archie Carr National Wildlife RefugeMerritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, the Canaveral National Seashore and some of the beaches in between. The Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge in Melbourne Beach is considered by biologists to be the most important nesting area for Loggerhead sea turtles in the western hemisphere and the second most important nesting beach in the world.

More information on the sea turtles and how to protect them can be found in  dedicated sea turtle section on the official Space Coast website. Once in the area the Visitor Information Center at 267 W. Cocoa Beach Causeway, Cocoa Beach, 32931 Florida provides local information and as well as some popular photo opportunities.

Subscribe to our E-Zine

    More

    from latest edition

    AmaWaterways River Cruise Offers update
    09th June 2025

    AmaWaterways River Cruise Offers update

    AmaWaterways are extending our Triple Savings Campaign ‘Up to €1.700 Discount per couple, Complimentary Stateroom Upgrade and €50 OBC’ on selected departure dates through to 30th June 2025

    Read more
    National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions Announces 2025 Arctic Visiting Scientist Programme Research Projects
    09th June 2025

    National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions Announces 2025 Arctic Visiting Scientist Programme Research Projects

    National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions, the pioneer of modern expedition cruising, today unveiled the researchers selected for the 2025 Artic season’s Visiting Scientist Programme, an initiati...

    Read more
    Turkish Airlines turns up the heat with extra summer flights
    09th June 2025

    Turkish Airlines turns up the heat with extra summer flights

    Turkish Airlines, the airline flying to more countries than any other, is ramping up its summer 2025 schedule with additional flights from the UK and Ireland to Istanbul and beyond. Starting Jun...

    Read more
    Pet Travel just got upgraded
    09th June 2025

    Pet Travel just got upgraded

    Pet travel has just been upgraded with the unveiling today of Irish Ferries’ brand-new “Pet Den” lounges.  And, while dogs, cats, and even ferrets have always been welcome onboard Irish Ferries ...

    Read more
    Aer Lingus teams up with Uber to reward AerClub members with Avios on every journey
    07th June 2025

    Aer Lingus teams up with Uber to reward AerClub members with Avios on every journey

    Aer Lingus’ AerClub members can now collect Avios on every journey they take using the Uber app, by simply linking their AerClub and Uber accounts. From today, members of the airline’s loyalty p...

    Read more
    Register with the Visit Utah Specialist Academy by the 15th of June and WIN!!!
    07th June 2025

    Register with the Visit Utah Specialist Academy by the 15th of June and WIN!!!

    Register with the Visit Utah Specialist Academy with Travelbiz by the 15th of June.
    The Visit Utah Specialist Academy invites you to embark on an exciting learning adventure across Utah.

    Read more