05/23/2026
It’s the sea turtle nesting season!
From the Georgia Sea Turtle Center: Sea turtle season has officially begun on Jekyll Island, GA, and this year, visitors can follow along in an entirely new way.
With the discovery of the first sea turtle nest of the season on Jekyll Island on Saturday, May 9, the destination has officially launched its new live Sea Turtle Tracker, an interactive tool that allows visitors to monitor the locations of active nests across the island throughout nesting season.
From May through October, Jekyll Island’s beaches become vital nesting grounds for loggerhead sea turtles, with generations of turtles returning to the very same shoreline where they once hatched. Last year alone, Jekyll Island recorded 131 nests, and more than 11,300 hatchlings made their journey to the ocean.
The new tracker offers visitors a unique opportunity to follow the nesting season in real time while learning more about the conservation work taking place across the island.
At the center of these efforts is the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, Georgia’s only sea turtle education and rehabilitation facility. For more than 19 years, the Center has led research, rehabilitation and public education initiatives focused on protecting sea turtles and preserving Georgia’s coastal ecosystem. During nesting season, visitors can experience this work firsthand through guided turtle walks with park rangers, educational programming and opportunities later in the season to observe hatchlings making their way to the ocean.
The Georgia Sea Turtle Center is also encouraging visitors to help safeguard these endangered species throughout the season. Here are a few simple ways travelers can support sea turtle conservation while visiting Jekyll Island:
Turn off lights at nightArtificial light can disorient nesting sea turtles and hatchlings. Flashlights are prohibited on Jekyll Island beaches during sea turtle season unless using turtle-safe RED flashlights.
Fill in holes and flatten sand before leaving the beachLarge holes and sand structures can obstruct nesting turtles and trap hatchlings attempting to reach the ocean.
Close curtains or blinds in beachfront accommodationsReducing indoor light visible from the beach helps prevent false crawls and hatchling disorientation.
Remove trash and beach gear each eveningPlastic and debris can pose serious threats to sea turtles, while unattended chairs, umbrellas and toys can block nesting paths.
Visit the Georgia Sea Turtle CenterGuests can learn more about sea turtle rehabilitation and conservation efforts while directly supporting the Center’s mission. Visitors can also symbolically adopt a nest to support ongoing monitoring and research efforts during the season.
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/articles/buresh-blog-sargassum-noaa-hurricane-221307590.html
