Sea Turtle Monitoring

A leatherback sea turtle crawls to the top of the dune to nest.

NPS/Photo Cole MTP 23-005

2023 Sea Turtle Nest Counts

• Loggerhead (Caretta caretta):

Apollo ( 673 ) .......... Playalinda ( 780 )

• Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas):

Apollo ( 77 ) .......... Playalinda ( 115 )

• Leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea):

Apollo ( 8 ) .......... Playalinda ( 11 )

• Kemps Ridley (Lepidochelys kempii):

Apollo ( 0 ) .......... Playalinda ( 1 )

Total Sea Turtle Nest Count: 1665

 

This green sea turtle is digging her nest.

NPS/Photo Welch MTP 19-005

Five of the Canaveral's federally listed endangered or threatened species are marine turtles.

1. Loggerhead (Caretta caretta) Threatened
2. Green (Chelonia mydas) Threatened
3. Leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) Endangered
4. Kemp’s Ridley (Lepiochelys kempii) Endangered
5. Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) Endangered

The Loggerhead and Green turtles are most prevalent, while the Leatherback is found consistently, but in much lower numbers. Kemp’s Ridley and Hawsbill Turtles have been documented, though rarely, on Canaveral National Seashore's beaches.

Canaveral National Seashore has been recording sea turtle nesting on park beaches since 1985. Sea turtles are observed nesting in the park from April through October. The nesting season for the Leatherback is generally between April and June, the earliest and shortest nesting season. Loggerheads are primarily observed nesting in the park from May through August, while Greens are recorded slightly later, from June through September. As in the past three years, Green sea turtle nesting extended into October in 2013. The peak of the nesting season generally occurs between late June and early July when over 100 nests may be deposited on Canaveral National Seashore’s beaches each night.

 

Sea Turtle Nest Totals 1984 - 2021

Year	Loggerhead	Green	Leatherback	Kemp's	Unknown	Total
2021	3708	4303	31	2	0	8,044
2020	4187	367	26	5	0	7,888
2019	5646	7629	33	0	0	13,308
2018	4223	301	15	0	0	4539
2017	4556	7736	23	0	0	12,315
2016	5057	381	9	0	0	5437
2015	3905	3571	34	0	0	7510
2014	3322	420	20	0	0	3767
2013	3758	4152	23	0	0	5140
2012	5154	816	27	1	0	5998
2011	3742	1374	24	0	0	5140
2010	4250	1343	26	0	0	5619
2009	2729	301	26	0	0	3056
2008	3637	899	5	2	0	4543
2007	2356	1249	21	0	0	3627
2006	2470	396	1	1	0	2868
2005	2547	1040	13	0	0	3600
2004	2281	255	6	0	0	2542
2003	3229	74	16	1	0	3320
2002	3161	856	8	0	0	4025
2001	3257	7	10	0	0	3274
2000	3892	662	9	0	0	4563
1999	4501	5	9	0	0	4515
1998	3976	427	5	0	0	4408
1997	2702	21	4	0	0	2727
1996	3260	222	3	0	0	3485
1995	4121	47	1	0	0	4169
1994	3886	364	2	0	0	4252
1993	3140	28	0	0	0	3168
1992	3279	298	0	0	0	3577
1991	4074	25	1	0	0	4100
1990	3922	185	1	0	0	4108
1989	3091	41	1	0	0	3133
1988	2203	43	0	0	4	2250
1987	1670	90	1	0	15	1776
1986	3349	22	3	0	0	3374
1985	2389	94	0	0	25	2508
1984	*	*	*	*	*	2125

* Individual breakdown not available

Taken from yearly Sea Turtle Nesting Summaries, 1984-2019 Canaveral National Seashore, Titusville, Florida



The State of Florida manages sea turtle nests throughout the state by collecting annual data on participating beaches. Canaveral National Seashore participates in both an Index Nesting Beach Survey (INBS) and the Statewide Nesting Beach Survey (SNBS). For more information on these programs visit the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

 

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Loggerhead hatchlings crawl to the ocean on Playalinda Beach before sunset in July of 2022.