This Sea turtle height chart was available for fun photos during saturday’s Earth Day 2013 celebration at Pensacola Beach. This really puts things into perspective doesn’t it?(Photo by John Blackie/jblackie@pnj.com )
Sea turtle education was a highlight of the event, as turtles will begin arriving on local beaches in May to build nests and lay eggs. The hatchlings born our beaches will return in 15 to 25 years to lay eggs of their own.
However, they first have to survive a wide range of natural and manmade hazards.
Cathy Holmes, project director for the Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center, said that the public can help increase hatchling survival rates by throwing away litter that turtles may mistake for food, filling holes in sand that turtles may get stuck in, and turning off bright lights that may disorient turtles.
“I think anything we can do to help make nesting easier and safer for turtles is a positive thing,” Susan Teel, chief of resource education for the Gulf Island National Seashore said.
