Meet Mote's Sea Turtle Conservation & Research Program
Thousands of sea turtles nest (lay eggs) each year on southwest Florida beaches. Mote Marine Laboratory scientists study and tag these endangered and threatened species to help protect their future on our changing planet. Watch our video to learn more.
Nesting updates for 2021 are below.
Weekly sea turtle nest counts
Visit every week to see preliminary counts of new sea turtle nests on Longboat Key through Venice, Florida. A final count will be posted after nesting season is complete on Oct. 31 and data have been reviewed thoroughly.
About the numbers: Data sheets show counts of new nests by week for 2021, along with a cumulative total for the season so far. Additionally, weekly counts for the same weeks in 2020, 2019, and 2018 are included for comparison. "FC" stands for "false crawl," which means that a female sea turtle crawled onto the beach and returned to the ocean without leaving a nest.
- April 25 through May 1
- May 2 through May 8
- May 9 through May 15
- May 16 through May 22
- May 23 through May 29
- May 30 through June 5
- June 6 through June 12
- June 13 through June 19
- June 20 through June 26
- June 27 through July 3
- July 4 through July 10
- July 11 through July 17
- July 18 through July 24
- July 25 through July 31
- August 1 through August 7
- August 8 through August 14
- August 15 through August 21
- August 22 through August 28
- August 29 through September 4
- September 5 through September 11
- September 12 through September 18
- September 19 through September 25
- September 26 through October 2
- October 3 through October 9
- October 10 through October 16
- October 17 through October 23
- October 24 through October 30
- October 31 through November 6
- Final End of Season Numbers
How to help sea turtles
- Join our virtual 5K or 1-mile Run for the turtles from anywhere on Earth. You can participate in the Run anytime from April 12 through June 30, 2021.
- Make a donation to Mote's Sea Turtle Conservation & Research Program to support their research and conservation efforts with sea turtles. Mote is an independent, nonprofit institution and philanthropic support is essential for our efforts to help vulnerable marine animals.
- Follow the turtle-friendly tips below, especially when visiting the beach and boating.
Tips for turtle-friendly boating, beach lighting & more
During nesting season, it is important to keep local waters and beaches sea-turtle friendly. Sea turtles are swimming just offshore to mate before the females come ashore to nest, juvenile turtles are feeding along the Gulf Coast, and by early summer the first hatchlings will venture into Gulf waters. On the nesting beaches, light from waterfront properties can disorient nesting female turtles and their young, which emerge at night and use dim natural light to find the sea. Also, beach furniture, trashb and other obstacles can impede sea turtles and their young. Mote encourages coastal residents and visitors to follow the turtle-friendly tips below during nesting season, May 1 - Oct. 31. Please also consult all applicable laws and ordinances that may be in your area. Consult FWC's website for information about ordinances that may apply to you.
On the shore
Do:
If you encounter a nesting turtle or hatchlings, remain quiet and observe from a distance.
Shield or turn off outdoor lights that are visible on the beach from May through October.
Close drapes after dark and put beach furniture far back from the water.
Fill in holes that may entrap hatchlings on their way to the water.
Do not:
Approach nesting turtles or hatchlings, make noise, or shine lights at turtles.
Use flashlights or fishing lamps on the beach.
Encourage a turtle to move while nesting or pick up hatchlings that have emerged and are heading for the water.
Use fireworks on the beach.
On the water
Follow Coast Guard-approved safe boating guidelines and use vigilance to avoid striking sea turtles and other large marine life.
Be sure to stow trash and line when under way. Marine debris that accidentally blows overboard or out of a truck can become ingested by or entangled around marine life.
Wear polarized sunglasses to better see marine life in your path.
Emergency contacts
If you see a sick, injured or stranded sea turtle in Sarasota or Manatee county waters, contact Mote Marine Laboratory’s Stranding Investigations Program at 888-345-2335. Outside of Sarasota or Manatee counties, please call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) at 888-404-FWCC (3922).
If you suspect that someone is tampering with a sea turtle nest, harassing a sea turtle or has possession of a sea turtle or any of its parts, please call FWC, call your local sheriff’s department and/or call Mote's Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program at 941-388-4331.If you find sea turtle hatchlings that are not on the beach or are headed away from the ocean, call Mote’s Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program for instructions. Do not put hatchlings in water or take them into air conditioning. Hatchlings heading towards the ocean should be left alone. Sea turtles, sea turtle eggs and nesting marking materials are protected under federal law and any harassment or interference with a sea turtle, living or dead, is subject to penalty.
Mote's sea turtle activities are conducted under Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Marine Turtle Permits 155, 216, 027, 054, 070, 048 and 028. All marine turtle footage was obtained wth the approval of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) under conditions not harmful to this or other turtles.