Palm Beach Loggerheads Nest in Record Numbers

Palm Beach is currently observing a significant increase in loggerhead sea turtle nesting activity, with preliminary counts by late July reaching around 6,100 nests. This represents an uptick from the 5,700 nests recorded during the same timeframe last year. While loggerheads are thriving, other species are not faring as well. Green sea turtles have experienced a marked decrease in nesting, with numbers dropping from 400 to approximately 150 by the end of July. Leatherback nests have shown a slight increase, totaling 150 compared to 85 last year.

The sea turtle nesting season, which began on March 1, will continue through October 31. Several factors influence nesting habits, including food availability, water temperatures, and the overall health of the turtle population. Despite fluctuations in specific species, the overall combined nest count for Palm Beach is trending within typical parameters. Florida plays a critical role in loggerhead nesting, hosting 90% of the Northwest Atlantic population's eggs, making it one of only two global locations with over 10,000 loggerhead nests annually.