Good job by turtle patrol volunteers

Photos by Daron Dean
Good job by turtle patrol volunteers



Publication Date: 05/27/09

Can you imagine what a sight that was Monday morning in Summer Haven as turtle patrol volunteers helped a 600-700 pound endangered leatherback turtle back to the ocean?

How many of us have ever seen a 600- to 700-pound sea creature up close but also in need of our help?

This huge reptile was disoriented, obviously losing her way back to the ocean after laying her eggs. But what an incredible journey she took from her nest on the beach over a sand dune, onto Old A1A, into the grasslands and up into the Matanzas River at Summer Haven.

This turtle's good fortune was that the Volusia/Flagler Turtle Patrol came to the rescue. They helped the wayward reptile back to her natural habitat, the Atlantic Ocean.

Leatherbacks are among the rarer species found in North Florida. Tara Dodson, habitat conservation coordinator for St. Johns County, says Monday's visitor makes 10 of the turtles to come ashore so far, a new record.

St. Johns County beaches are a huge draw for sea turtles. Most images we see this time of year are of sea turtles under their own power coming toward the beach from the ocean or heading back after laying eggs in a sandy nest.

The population of nests grows almost overnight as the sea turtles frequent our beaches between May and October.

County residents volunteer to patrol our beaches daily, looking for new nests to mark and checking on other nests already marked.

All our turtle patrol volunteers, whether they be from St. Johns, Flagler, Volusia or Duval counties deserve our thanks. They're helping ensure the survival of an endangered species for the benefit of future generations.

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