Largest Species of Sea Turtle Makes Rare Return
by Jeremy Morrison
It’s been a long time coming, but a leatherback sea turtle has again been seen on Pensacola Beach. A large female was witnessed establishing her nest on the local beach yesterday.
“There are four species of turtles that nest here, and this is by far the most rare,†said Tim Day, senior national resources manager, Escambia County Natural Resources Management Department.
It’s been decades since a leatherback sea turtle has been documented in Escambia County. While a leatherback nested on a Santa Rosa County beach in 2014, Day said Escambia hasn’t seen one since probably 2000.
“We don’t see them very often; they’re normally around the Atlantic coast,†Day said, explaining that when leatherbacks are found on Gulf beaches, it’s typically in areas such as Destin or St. George.
Notable about the leatherback sea turtle is its impressive size. They can weigh in at 2,000 pounds.
“It’s the largest of the sea turtles,†Day said. “It’s not uncommon for it to reach that 6 to 8-foot range.â€
Day said that, as with any identified sea turtle nesting area, the leatherback’s nest would be observed throughout the nesting season. Officials are hoping the nest is high enough on the beach and weathers what is forecast to be a more intense than normal hurricane season.
Once the leatherback nest has hatched and the hatchlings have taken to the water, the turtle’s eggs will be counted.
“It will be something in excess of 100,†predicts Day.
And the nest will also be inspected for signs of what may have happened to any of the eggs that did not hatch.
“Like a ghost crab digging in from the side and eating a couple of eggs or something,†Day provided as an example.
In addition to this notable leatherback nest found this week, Escambia County officials have documented three loggerhead sea turtle nests since nesting season began May 1; the season runs through October, peaking in July and August. All four of Escambia’s nests have been located on Pensacola Beach, with Perdido Key yet to have any nests established this season.
While sighting a leatherback on a local beach is extremely rare, loggerheads are much more typical for the area. In addition to being more significant than the loggerhead, leatherbacks are also an endangered species. In contrast, loggerheads are listed as threatened — the subspecies of loggerheads commonly found nesting on Escambia’s beaches, however, are listed as endangered.
In addition to loggerheads and leatherbacks, the other two species of sea turtles that might be found nesting on local beaches include the green and Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles. Both of these species are also listed as endangered.
Photo by CJ Fogarty, provided by Escambia County Natural Resources Management