Sea Turtle Nest Excavations

Sea turtles are one of Martin County’s most famous visitors, with thousands coming to nest on our beaches from March through October. This July, Martin County has partnered with Ecological Associates, Inc. (EAI) to bring you a closer look at these amazing animals through this Sea Turtle Nesting Excavation program.

This program presents an opportunity for the public to observe firsthand the excavation of a loggerhead sea turtle nest by trained individuals permitted to conduct such activities by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). It also provides an opportunity to advocate for sea turtle conservation by addressing threats such as artificial beachfront lighting, man-made obstructions to nesting females and emergent hatchlings, and marine debris.

The program begins with a 10-15 minute sea turtle talk led by Martin County education specialists describing the species of sea turtles nesting on Florida beaches with a focus on the biology of the loggerhead sea turtle, including the nesting process and statistics. Threats to sea turtles and the importance of the Dark, Flat and Clean initiative are also discussed. EAI biologists then inventory the contents of a loggerhead nest that hatched at least 3 days prior to the event. The biologist displays the egg contents and explains the inventory process. There is a 5-10 minute question and answer segment that follows the program. Any hatchlings found in the egg chamber during the program are released according to FWC guidelines. EAI specializes in sea turtle monitoring and research and conducts all activities under FWC Marine Turtle Permits.

FREE program

The program begins at 8:15am and will last until 9:30am

Please wear appropriate outdoor clothing and footwear

Bring water, sunscreen, and bug spray

Minors (under 18) must be accompanied by an adult

If you are a visitor planning a trip to Martin County and would like to preregister for the event, please email [email protected]

Looking for an eco-friendly place to stay while visiting Martin County? Check out one of our

All participants will be required to sign waivers that will be provided at the start of the program.

Registration is not required but is highly recommended so that you can receive emails with important event information and so we can get an accurate head count.

Further details will be provided after registration. We hope to see you there!

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