Green Sea Turtle False Crawl on Marco Beach

On July 3rd, agreen sea turtle crawled up in a remote non-renourished area of Marco’s beach and left two empty nest cavities, according to J. Jewett, a sea turtle monitor. For some reason, she changed her mind and abandoned her nesting attempt. According to FWC, green sea turtle tracks are symmetrical from parallel flipper marks with a central tail drag mark, which helped sea turtle monitors identify her as a green sea turtle. 

Green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) are not as common nesters on Marco Island as loggerheads (Caretta caretta). In 2024, Collier County recorded three confirmed green sea turtle nests and one false crawl, according to FWC’s 2024 Statewide Nesting Totals for Florida. Florida hosts one of the largest groupings of green turtle nests in the western Atlantic; nesting primarily starts from June through late September.  

According to FWC, green sea turtles are named for the green-colored body fat attached to their lower shell, the key ingredient of once-popular green turtle soup. The name can be confusing as the top portion of their shell (carapace) is not actually green - the body fat is green! Their smooth, heart-shaped shell is a blend of different colors, including brown, olive, gray, or black. 

The green sea turtle and the loggerhead can look quite similar, and according to experts, the best way to tell them apart is by the size of their heads. The loggerheads have a much larger head in proportion to their bodies, while a green sea turtle has a small head for their body size. Most green sea turtles weigh between 150-419. Adult loggerheads weigh on average 275 pounds, with only the leatherback turtle being larger overall.  

When you encounter a nesting sea turtle on the beach, please observe from a safe distance. Stay calm and quiet and let her complete her nesting activities.