Marco Sea Turtle Nest Hatched

Sea Turtle nest number one hatched last week, and according to sea turtle monitor J. Jewett, Mary Nelson, Marco’s Sea Turtle Lady, attended the excavation of the nest. “Who knows? This nest could have been one of Mary’s hatchlings some 30 years ago,” she said. According to experts, loggerheads reach sexual maturity at around 30-35 years. In addition, sea turtle monitors recorded an additional three hatched nests for the week of July 8-14th. 

As the first nest approached the expected hatch date (approximately 60 days), monitors look for signs of hatching, such as obvious depression in the sand or hatchling tracks around the nest. According to Jewett, there was no evidence of hatchling disorientation around nest number one. The nest was in an area protected from light pollution and rain each night didn’t help confirm they made it to the Gulf. There were no visible tracks and so it is assumed the hatchlings all made it to the Gulf. 

Each nest is excavated for evaluation approximately 72 hours (three days) following signs of emergence according to Collier County Sea Turtle Protection Plan; all contents of the egg cavity are removed by hand and data from each nest are recorded.  

Nelson has over 30years of experience with the sea turtle hatching process, when she first witnessed a sea turtle hatch outside of her Marco beachfront condo in 1991. She started volunteering for Collier County sometime in 1995;Nelson driving the County sea turtle ATV every morning during the sea turtle season became a permanent morning routine on Marco Island. Nelson stays involved with the sea turtle monitoring program as a mentor and part-time morning monitor. 

Collier County started monitoring sea turtle activity on Marco Island in 1990.Loggerheads coming to nest on Marco’s beach started out as hatchlings and guided by their “natal homing” instinct, return to the same beach where they were hatched.