Turtle report: Nest predators appear this week, snacking on eggs
BY ARLENE HALL
BGSTA SECRETARY
At long last, the first green sea turtle crawl was documented on Gasparilla Island during the week ending June 22nd! It turned out to be a nest and it occurred on the far north end of the island. By this time last year, the BGSTA turtle patrollers had already documented ten green turtle nests and 18 false crawls. This year’s later appearance does not cause concern, since green turtle nesting activity tends to be busiest from June through September. Generally, most green turtle nesting is concentrated on the southeast coast of Florida but almost every coastal county in Florida has recorded nesting activity. Over the last few years, the BGSTA recorded an average of about 29 nests/season, but that figure has been as low as five nests back in 2018. Incidentally, green sea turtles aren’t named for the color of their shells but because of the greenish color of their body fat. Look for more articles about the green turtles in the coming weeks.
Unfortunately, this past week also marked the appearance of turtle nest predators. While ghost crabs have been present and likely have been snacking on some incubating eggs since the first loggerhead nests were laid in May, mammalian predators have now begun digging into nests to eat the eggs. Over the past few years, the most common mammalian predators on our beaches have been coyotes and bobcats. When a nest is depredated, BGSTA turtle patrollers will clean up the area by removing any damaged eggs and repairing the nest, placing a large flat screen over the nest to prevent additional predations. Many times, as long as some intact eggs remain, the nest will still hatch. At times, the predators don’t dig at all, instead they snatch the hatchlings as they are emerging from the nest and heading to the water. In some zones of the island’s beaches, screens are placed over the nest as soon as it is discovered (i.e., pre-screening) and this has helped reduce depredations in areas that historically have had very active predators. In fact, by this time last year there were already 20 nests depredated, so perhaps these efforts are making a positive impact.
A predated turtle nest is always an unwelcome sight on a morning patrol, and it saddens both patrollers and sea turtle fans to think of those cute little hatchlings meeting such a tragic end. It sometimes helps to realize this is just nature – coyotes and bobcats also need to eat and perhaps feed their own babies. And have you seen how cute those coyote pups and bobcat kittens are?
All activities of the Boca Grande Sea Tu
rtle Association are conducted and authorized under FWC Marine Turtle Permit #MTP-24-123.
At Florida State Parks:
Gasparilla: 26 loggerhead
Cayo Costa: 347 loggerhead, 1 green turtle
Don Pedro: 150 loggerhead, 7 green turtles
Stump Pass: 212 loggerhead, 1 green
