The sea turtle season has begun for 2015. Hatchlings will now begin to surface from their nests and make their way towards the Gulf of Mexico. It is imperative that all of us, as residents and guests of the Island, do all that we can to protect these endangered turtles. The hatchlings are guided by their instinct to travel to the brightest light. If we can remember to turn off all exterior lights and close curtains, the turtles will be more apt to travel towards the light reflecting off the ocean water. If we don’t turn off the lights, the turtles may turn inland and die of exhaustion and dehydration. We don’t want that to happen! We don’t often realize how even the smallest obstacle can cause death to hatchlings. Please take the time to remove all furniture, tents, umbrella, toys, and trash from the beach. Fill in all the holes and remove sand castles so the hatchlings can easily find their way to their new home! On behalf of Sanibel Moorings and all of our Sanibel hatchlings, we thank you for your cooperation!
For more information, please visit http://www.mysanibel.com.
Photo credit: Jeffrey Kopita, Sanibel Moorings guest