It’s turtle nesting season! Over the weekend the beach walkers of Save-A-Turtle discovered a new crawl and nest near the volleyball courts on Smathers beach

“Looks like she’s a fan of the game,” the group posted on social media, “but don’t worry — we’ve hit pause on the volleyball in that area to keep her nest safe and sound.”

Big thanks to our amazing, permitted Save-A-Turtle volunteers who are always on the lookout and ready to protect these beautiful mamas and their future hatchlings.

Key West’s beaches are closed to the public each night at 11 p.m., and this time of year it’s vital that people heed the law. April 15th through October 31st is turtle nesting season — that time of year when these magnificent creatures crawl up out of the sea to deposit their eggs in the sand.

The organization Save-A-Turtle has, in past years, seen evidence that females have crawled up on the beach and returned to the water without laying any eggs. Turtle watchers suspect these “false crawls” may be the result of human interference.

Although it’s tempting to try and witness this rare and wonderful aspect of our ocean environment, it’s not worth the consequences. Nesting beaches have diminished as development has increased over the past several decades. It’s crucial that we do all we can to ensure safe nesting beaches in Key West.

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