Florida wildlife officials are continuing to monitor the aftermath of Tropical Storm Colin and its impact on sea turtle nests across the state. The storm destroyed several hundred nests, but officials say Floridians can help.
Sea turtle nesting season started about a month ago, and already, Tropical Storm Colin has caused problems.
“We do know that we lost a couple hundred nests, primarily from the Southwest coasts, although we did see impacts all the way up through Pinellas County, for sure,” said Meghan Koperski, a sea turtle expert with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. “We’re still waiting to get information from certain areas of the Panhandle.”
Still, Koperski says it’s not all bad news.
“We also know that there have been new nests deposited since Tropical Storm Colin’s visit,” she added. “So, it’s not all dark and rainy skies. There’s definitely some hope on the horizon, and it’s not a total wash for sea turtles this season.”
And, she adds there’s some ways residents can help as well.
“Beachgoers may encounter eggs rolling around on the beach, and if that’s the case, the best thing they can do is to actually leave those eggs there,” Koperski continued. “There’s a very good probability that those eggs are no longer capable of producing viable hatchlings. So, collecting them and moving them around further limits those possibilities.”
If residents see anything, they should contact the FWC.
For more news updates, follow Sascha Cordner on Twitter: @SaschaCordner .
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