06/17/2026
It's Turtle nesting season! Please enjoy the beach responsibly.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1casYqmLUV/?mibextid=wwXIfr
🚨 STOP. THIS IS ILLEGAL.
There is a video circulating of a nesting sea turtle being approached with white lights and people posing for photos is not cute, funny, or a once-in-a-lifetime photo opportunity.
It is harassment of a federally protected species!! This person has since been reported to the proper authorities.
Sea turtles are protected under the Endangered Species Act, and in Florida it is illegal to harass, disturb, pursue, or interfere with nesting sea turtles. Approaching a nesting female, shining lights on her, surrounding her, and posing for photos can cause her to abandon her nesting attempt.
And that’s the part that should make everyone sick.
That female likely spent decades surviving predators, pollution, fishing gear, boats, and countless other threats to make it back to the beach where she was born. She crawled ashore carrying over 100 eggs and one job: continue her species.
Instead, she was met with lights, people, and cameras.
When a turtle is disturbed during nesting, she may return to the water without laying her eggs. Those eggs can be dumped in the Gulf where they have no chance of survival. In a matter of minutes, a selfish photo opportunity can erase an entire future generation.
More than 100 potential loggerhead hatchlings may have been lost because someone wanted content.
Let that sink in.
If you encounter a nesting sea turtle:
🐢 Stay back.
🐢 Stay quiet.
🐢 Turn off all lights.
🐢 Do not use flash photography.
🐢 Do not approach or touch the turtle.
🐢 Give her the space she needs to complete one of the most important acts of her life.
If you see a nesting sea turtle, call ☎️ South Walton Turtle Watch immediately at 850-865-4503.
We can do better.
Want to know how to NOT be the problem? Don’t miss our WSTW event tomorrow The Big Chill 30A 9-11 am! Rain or shine! Full event details 👇
https://www.facebook.com/share/1DojiQmvXP/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Our neighbors to the west Destin-Fort Walton Beach Sea Turtle Patrol have an awesome event at the CARE center detailing the same thing. Check it out following the link below!⬇️
https://facebook.com/events/s/careing-for-turtles/1758274805530906/
