Tag Archives: leatherback

Sea Turtle Nesting Season

That exciting time of year when our endangered sea turtles reproduce is here. Sea turtles nest through the summer months along the white sand beaches of west Florida.  The nesting season lasts from May 1st through October 31st.  During these months female turtles swim up on the beach at night time, dig nests in the sand, deposit eggs, then swim away.   Continue reading Sea Turtle Nesting Season

Clearwater’s Cold Stunned Sea Turtles

          A Sea Turtle is an air breathing reptile who lives and thrives in the Gulf of Mexico, not to mention the waters all over the world.   The turtle is a large shelled creature who uses it’s shell as protection for its soft body.  The shell is made up of many bones covered with horny scales, also known as scoots.  They have no teeth, but very strong jaws.  There are seven species of endangered sea turtles, the green turtle, hawksbill, leatherback, loggerhead, olive ridley, Kemp’s ridley, and flatback.  The majority of these species of sea turtle are found in the waters off Florida.  Only the olive ridley and flatback are not. Sea turtles grow very slowly, and live for decades.

Continue reading Clearwater’s Cold Stunned Sea Turtles