Sea turtle nesting season begins March 1

March 1 marks the start of an important time for sea turtles – nesting season. This is a crucial period for these ancient creatures, as they emerge from the ocean to lay their eggs on beaches around the world.

Sea turtles have been around for millions of years, but today they face many threats that put their survival at risk. Habitat loss, pollution and climate change are just a few of the challenges that these amazing animals must overcome if they are to continue thriving in our oceans.

Nesting season is particularly important because it's when female sea turtles come ashore to lay their eggs. Depending on the species, this can happen once or several times per year. The process takes several hours and involves digging a hole in the sand with their flippers before laying anywhere from 50 to 200 eggs.

Once the eggs are laid, the female covers them up with sand and returns to the ocean. From there, it's up to nature to take its course. After about two months, baby sea turtles will hatch and make their way out of the sand towards the water.

Unfortunately, not all sea turtle nests survive. Eggs can be eaten by predators like raccoons or destroyed by storms or high tides. Even if they do hatch successfully, baby turtles face a perilous journey as they try to reach the ocean while avoiding birds and other predators.

There are several things we can do to help protect sea turtles during nesting season and throughout the year. One of the most important is to keep beaches clean and free of litter that could harm or entangle these animals.

It's also crucial that we respect sea turtle nests by not disturbing them or shining lights on them at night. Bright lights can disorient baby turtles as they try to make their way towards the ocean, leading them away from safety.

In addition, we should avoid driving on beaches where sea turtles nest as this can damage their habitat and crush eggs underfoot.

Finally, if you're lucky enough to spot a sea turtle during nesting season (or any time of year), be sure to give it plenty of space and observe from a respectful distance. These animals may seem slow-moving on land but they are powerful swimmers in water and should never be touched or harassed.
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By taking these simple steps, we can help ensure that sea turtles continue to thrive for generations to come. So next time you visit a beach during nesting season (which runs through October in many parts of the world), remember that you're sharing space with some truly incredible creatures – and do your part to help protect them.