May happens to be the start of the sea turtle nesting season here on Sanibel Island and that means that the turtles can be seen any day now. Every year hundreds of sea turtles flock to the beaches of Sanibel Island in late spring to make their nests. And when you stay with us at Blind Pass Condominiums, you may have the opportunity to see a nest or two. Let’s look at what you need to know about the turtle nesting season on Sanibel Island below.
When is Sea Turtle Nesting Season?
While many of the locals love this time of the year, so does many of our guests do as well. Beginning on May 1st every year is the start of one of the most magical times as it is the beginning of turtle nesting season. This is when you will see sea turtles come to the shore on Sanibel Island to lay their eggs in their nest they have built. From the Sanibel Lighthouse to Blind Pass is where you will find most of the turtle nests. Turtle nesting season ends in October every year so while you are on vacation to Sanibel Island during the late spring to late fall months, know that it is turtle nesting season.
Help Protect Sanibel Islands Turtles
We take protecting our sea turtles very serious as they have made their home on our beautiful island’s shore. We have over 100 local volunteers who check out the beaches every morning in search of new nests. These volunteers do mark the new nests with flags along the beach, so if you happen to come across some while on your vacation, don’t disturb them at all. Here are a few rules to follow while you are on vacation on Sanibel Island during turtle nesting season:
- Please stay at least 50 feet from the sea turtles and their nests.
- Don’t disturb the screens that are protecting and covering their nests. These screens help keep predators away from their eggs and hatchlings.
- Please don’t use your lights on your phone during your nighttime stroll along the shoreline. This can cause them to become disoriented while they are on shore.
- Please clean up after your day at the beach and be sure to bring in all your beach equipment at night time.
- Please keep the beach clean from any trash that you may have while spending the day at the beach. We want to help protect our beaches and the new turtles as much as we can!
- If you happen to find a nest that isn’t marked or you need to report a problem, then please contact the sea turtle hotline at 978-728-3663.
While there are many other things that you can do while on vacation to Sanibel Island during the turtle nesting season, these are the most important ones we wanted to share. If you are still looking to book your next vacation to Blind Pass Condominiums this summer, now is the time to do so! We can’t wait to see you and your family on your next vacation to our amazing Sanibel Island this summer!
