05/01/2026
Today marks the beginning of sea turtle nesting season along our beautiful shores, a reminder of nature’s resilience and renewal. It is an honor to gather for beach yoga and share this sacred space with these incredible creatures, returning home under the moonlight to begin new life. Let’s move mindfully, tread gently, and honor the magic beneath our feet and beyond the waves. 🐢 Thank you to our friends at Clearwater Marine Aquarium for helping protect our sea turtles each and every year! Wishing for a successful season of hatchlings.
Sea turtle nesting season has officially kicked off!
Nesting season starts on May 1 in Pinellas County and runs through October 31 in our local area and in many other parts of Florida. It marks a critical period as adult turtles return to the beaches where they were born to lay eggs. In 2025, CMA recorded 405 nests—the highest total in years! Our sea turtle nesting patrol team monitors over 20 miles of coastline daily during the season to survey beaches, identify tracks, mark nests, and gather essential data.
Despite conservation efforts and the recent increase in nesting activity, sea turtles continue to face many threats and most sea turtle species, including the loggerhead turtles that predominantly nest on our beaches, remain endangered. Artificial lighting, causing hatchling disorientations, is one of the biggest challenges. Using turtle-safe lighting or even closing blinds at night on beachfront property can have a meaningful impact. Remember to also pick up litter, remove beach furniture, fill in holes in the sand, and knock down sandcastles before you leave the beach to help reduce obstructions for nesting turtles and hatchlings.
Learn more about the CMA Sea Turtle Conservation Program and our nesting patrols: https://mission.cmaquarium.org/news/ready-set-go-its-sea-turtle-nesting-season-again-and-clearwater-marine-aquarium-is-back-at-the-beaches/
All marine turtle footage taken in Florida was obtained with the approval of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) under conditions not harmful to marine turtles. Footage was acquired while conducting authorized conservation activities pursuant to FWC MTP-25/26-263 and MTP-25/26-013.
