Turtle nests devastated
PHOTO PROVIDED BY WILMA KATZ
A loggerhead sea turtle returns to the Gulf at dawn after nesting on North Manasota Key at the south end of Caspersen Beach. Since this photo was taken June 21, Tropical Storm Debby caused devastating erosion on area beaches, resulting in 95 percent of turtle nests being lost. Turtles continued nesting after the storm. Nesting season ends Oct. 31.
The numbers are even worse than originally feared. Sea turtle nesting season began May 1 with banner-year numbers, but nature dealt area wildlife a major setback when slow-moving Tropical Storm Debby churned for days in the Gulf in late June. Turtle patrollers now say the storm washed out 95 percent of the nests laid on Gulf beaches from Englewood north to Longboat Key. Florida’s east coast generally sees larger numbers of loggerhead nests, but Manasota Key and surrounding barrier islands are considered the richest nesting grounds on Florida’s Gulf Coast.
