After recording its earliest sea turtle nest in the last few years, Perdido Key is celebrating its first sea turtle hatch of the season. It was also the first in 2025 in Escambia County.
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"Escambia County monitors about 12 miles of beach and this is the first nest that hatched from those that we monitor,” said Samantha Pitts, environmental program manager for the county.
The loggerhead nest hatched during the evening of Wednesday, July 16, during state-permitted nighttime monitoring.
“We were conducting one of our routine night checks, because the nest was getting close to its hatch date, and our volunteers witnessed the hatch event beginning, so they were there when the hatchlings began to emerge,” Pitts said.
Escambia County confirmed that 106 loggerhead hatchlings safely entered the water, after experiencing some hatchling disorientation and getting a little help, which the volunteers were authorized to do.
“Sea turtle hatchlings can be disoriented by artificial lights, those that we have on our condos, our homes and roadways, and with all of the heavy storm clouds we had over the gulf this week, they started to go away from the water,” Pitts explained. “So, you know, (it took) a little human intervention to get them moving back towards the water where they need to go.”
A formal post-hatch assessment will determine how many eggs were in the nest and how many hatched. The report, which also includes information about whether the nest was damaged and what may have caused it, will be submitted to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), which uses the data to help inform management decisions for sea turtles as a species.
So far, Perdido Key is experiencing a near-record year with 12 nests, while Pensacola Beach is slightly below average at 13 nests.
Elsewhere across the region, the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Sea Turtle Patrol is reporting 18 sea turtle nests to date in Okaloosa County. The South Walton Turtle Watch Group has recorded 20 nests on the beaches of South Walton. Fifteen nests have been recorded on Navarre Beach, according to the Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center.
On local beaches, Loggerheads are most common.
The nesting season runs from May 1 to October 31, with an incubation period about 45 to 60 days.
While the Perdido Key hatch appears to be the first in Northwest Florida, others will soon follow.
For example, the first sea turtle nest of the season on Navarre Beach was confirmed on May 22, so it could hatch any day now.
As noted, once the eggs hatch, artificial light becomes a major survival issue.
“Artificial lighting is one of the biggest threats, especially in an area like ours where our beaches are pretty heavily developed,” said Pitts. “They (beaches) are huge economic drivers, which means we have lots of people on them, lots of buildings lots of lights.
Nearly 60% of all turtle hatchlings will be disoriented by land-based lights, which can cause them to wander away from the water. Hatchlings that don't reach the water quickly risk dehydration, starvation and predation. Disoriented hatchlings can also stray onto busy roads, garages and swimming pools.
Permitted volunteers are trained in disoriented hatchling response and recovery, however, naturally dark beaches are the best assurance for ensuring hatchling turtles make it to the water where they belong.
To help protect nesting sea turtles and other coastal wildlife, here are a few universal recommendations:
- Lights Out! Both hatchling and nesting turtles need dark beaches to find the water. Leave the flashlights and cell phones at home or use a red flashlight on the beach at night. Turn off beach-facing lights and close the windows and curtains to keep our beaches dark.
- Leave Only Footprints! Remove all furniture and toys from the beach when you're done for the day, including hammocks, tents, canopies, chairs, toys and sports equipment.
- If You Dig It, Fill It! Large holes, trenches, and moats create dangerous obstacles for hatchling and nesting sea turtles. Avoid digging large holes on the beach, fill in holes after digging them, and flatten sand castles when finished building them.
If you see a nest hatching or encounter turtle hatchlings on the beach, stay a respectful distance away and contact local authorities.
Escambia County Marine Resources: 850-281-5904.
Destin-Fort Walton Beach Sea Turtle Patrol's hotline: 850-461-2885.
South Walton Turtle Watch hotline: 850-865-4503.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Wildlife Alert Hotline: 1-888-404-3922.
