JEKYLL ISLAND, Ga. — Sea turtle nesting season has commenced on Jekyll Island, allowing visitors a new interactive way to track conservation efforts. A new live Sea Turtle Tracker has launched, enabling visitors to monitor active nest locations across the island.
Jekyll Island’s beaches serve as vital nesting grounds for loggerhead sea turtles from May through October. The new tracker offers a unique opportunity to follow the nesting season in real time while also learning about the ongoing conservation work.
To use the tracker, visit the link here.
Last year, Jekyll Island recorded 131 nests and more than 11,300 hatchlings successfully made their journey to the ocean.
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The Georgia Sea Turtle Center, Georgia’s only sea turtle education and rehabilitation facility, is central to conservation efforts. For more than 19 years, the center has led research, rehabilitation and public education initiatives aimed at protecting sea turtles and preserving Georgia’s coastal ecosystem.
During nesting season, visitors can engage with this work firsthand through guided turtle walks with park rangers, educational programming and future opportunities to observe hatchlings making their way to the ocean.
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Visitors to Jekyll Island are encouraged to help safeguard these endangered species throughout the season. Travelers should turn off lights at night, as artificial light can disorient nesting sea turtles and hatchlings. Flashlights are prohibited on Jekyll Island beaches during sea turtle season unless they are turtle-safe red flashlights.
Filling in holes and flattening sand before leaving the beach is important because large holes and sand structures can obstruct nesting turtles and trap hatchlings attempting to reach the ocean.
Closing curtains or blinds in beachfront accommodations helps prevent false crawls and hatchling disorientation by reducing indoor light visible from the beach.
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Removing trash and beach gear each evening is also crucial, as plastic and debris pose serious threats to sea turtles and unattended items can block nesting paths.
Additionally, guests can visit the Georgia Sea Turtle Center to learn more about sea turtle rehabilitation and conservation efforts, directly supporting the center’s mission.
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