Sea Turtle Nest Numbers

Visit every week beginning May 1 to see preliminary counts of new sea turtle nests on Longboat Key through Venice, Florida. A final count will be posted after nesting season is complete on Oct. 31 and data have been reviewed thoroughly.

Note on the data sheets: “FC” means “false crawl,” when a turtle crawls ashore and returns to the water without leaving a nest.

• April 23–29
• April 30–May 5
• May 7–13
• May 14-May 20
• May 21–27
• May 28–June 3
• June 4–10
• June 11–17
• June 18-24
• June 25-July 1
• July 2-July 8
• July 9-July 15
• July16-July22
• July 23-July 29
• July 30-August 5
• August 6-12
• August 13-19
• August 20-26
• August 27- September 2
• September 3-9
• September 10-16
• September 17-23
• September 24-30
• October 1-7
• October 8-14
• October 15-21
• October 22-28
• October 29-Nov. 4
• 2023 FINAL NESTING NUMBERS

Visit every week beginning May 1 to see preliminary counts of new sea turtle nests on Longboat Key through Venice, Florida. A final count will be posted after nesting season is complete on Oct. 31 and data have been reviewed thoroughly.

• April 24 through April 30
• May 1 through May 7
• May 8 through May 14
• May 15 through May 21
• May 22 through May 28
• May 29 through June 4
• June 5 through June 11
• June 12 through June 18
• June 19 through June 25
• June 26 through July 2
• July 3 through July 9
• July 10 through July 16
• July 17 through July 23
• July 24 through July 30
• July 31 through August 6
• August 7 through August 13
• August 14 through August 20
• August 21 through August 27
• August 28 through September 3
• September 4 through September 10
• September 11 through September 17
• September 18 through September 24
• September 25 through October 1
• October 2 through October 8
• October 9 through October 15
• October 16 through October 22
• October 23 through October. 29

Thousands of sea turtles nest (lay eggs) each year on southwest Florida beaches. Mote Marine Laboratory scientists study and tag these endangered and threatened species to help protect their future on our changing planet. Watch our video to learn more.

Nesting updates for 2021 are below.

Visit every week to see preliminary counts of new sea turtle nests on Longboat Key through Venice, Florida. A final count will be posted after nesting season is complete on Oct. 31 and data have been reviewed thoroughly.

About the numbers: Data sheets show counts of new nests by week for 2021, along with a cumulative total for the season so far. Additionally, weekly counts for the same weeks in 2020, 2019, and 2018 are included for comparison. “FC” stands for “false crawl,” which means that a female sea turtle crawled onto the beach and returned to the ocean without leaving a nest.

• April 25 through May 1
• May 2 through May 8
• May 9 through May 15
• May 16 through May 22
• May 23 through May 29
• May 30 through June 5
• June 6 through June 12
• June 13 through June 19
• June 20 through June 26
• June 27 through July 3
• July 4 through July 10
• July 11 through July 17
• July 18 through July 24
• July 25 through July 31
• August 1 through August 7
• August 8 through August 14
• August 15 through August 21
• August 22 through August 28
• August 29 through September 4
• September 5 through September 11
• September 12 through September 18
• September 19 through September 25
• September 26 through October 2
• October 3 through October 9
• October 10 through October 16
• October 17 through October 23
• October 24 through October 30
• October 31 through November 6
• Final End of Season Numbers

About the numbers: Data sheets show counts of new nests by week for 2020, along with a cumulative total for the season so far. Additionally, weekly counts for the same weeks in 2019, 2018, and 2017 are included for comparison. “FC” stands for “false crawl,” which means that a female sea turtle crawled onto the beach and returned to the ocean without leaving a nest.

• First nest of the season arrived on April 20, 2020! Read the press release here. 
• April 19 through April 25
• April 26 through May 2
• May 3 through May 9
• May 10 through May 16
• May 17 through May 23
• May 24 through May 30
• May 31 through June 6
• June 7 through June 13
• June 14 through June 20
• June 21 through June 27
• June 28 through July 4
• July 5 through July 11
• July 12 through July 18
• July 19 through July 25
• July 26 through August 1
• August 2 through August 8
• August 9 through August 15
• August 16 through August 22
• August 23 through August 29
• August 30 through September 5
• September 6 through September 12
• September 13 through September 19
• September 20 through September 26
• September 27 through October 3
• October 4 through October 10

Nest monitoring begins

Check out Conservation Manager and Senior Biologist Melissa Bernhard, as she checks in from the field on the first day of nest monitoring.

Here are preliminary counts of sea turtle nests per week on Longboat Key through Venice, Florida. A final count will be posted after nesting season is complete on Oct. 31 and data have been reviewed thoroughly.

Data sheets show counts by week for 2019, along with counts for the same weeks in 2018, 2017, and 2016.

“FC” stands for “false crawl,” which means that a female sea turtle crawled onto the beach and returned to the ocean without leaving a nest.

Mote’s sea turtle activities are conducted under Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Marine Turtle Permits 027, 054, 070, 048, and 028

• April 21 – April 27 (First nests arrived before nesting season officially started on May 1)
• April 28 – May 4
• May 5 – May 11
• May 12 – May 18
• May 19 – May 25
• May 26 – June 1
• June 2 – June 8
• June 9 – June 15
• June 16 – June 22
• June 23 – June 29
• June 30 – July 6
• July 7 – July 13
• July 14 – July 20
• July 21 – July 27
• July 28 – August 3 
• August 4 – August 10
• August 11 – August 17
• August 18 – August 24
• August 25 – August 31
• September 1 – September 7
• September 8 – September 14
• September 15 – September 21
• September 22 – September 28
• September 29 – October 5
• October 6 – October 12
• October 13 – October 19
• October 20 – October 26
• End of season total numbers

Here are preliminary counts of sea turtle nests per week on Longboat Key through Venice, Florida. A final count will be posted after nesting season is complete on Oct. 31 and data have been reviewed thoroughly. Note: Data sheets show counts by week for 2018, along with counts for the same weeks in 2017 and 2016. “FC” stands for “false crawl,” which means that a female sea turtle crawled onto the beach and returned to the ocean without leaving a nest.

• April 22-April 28 (First nests arrived before nesting season officially started on May 1.)
• April 29-May 5
• May 6-12
• May 13-19
• May 20-26
• May 27-June 2
• June 3-9
• June 10-16
• June 17-23
• June 24-30
• July 1-July 7
• July 8-14
• July 15-July 21
• July 22-July 28
• July 29-Aug. 4
• Aug. 5-11
• Aug. 12-18
• Aug. 19-25
• Aug. 26-Sept. 1
• Sept. 2-8
• Sept. 9-15
• Sept. 16-22
• Sept. 23-29

2017 Final numbers (posted Oct. 31)

• April 30-May 6
• May 7-May 13
• May 14-May 20
• May 21-May 27
• May 28-June 3
• June 4-June 10
• June 11-June 17
• June 18-June 24
• June 25-July 1
• July 2-July 8
• July 9-July 15
• July 16- July 22
• July 23-July 27
• July 28-August 4
• August 5-August 12
• August 13-August 19
• August 20-August 26
• August 27-September 2
• September 10-September 16

Counts by week are preliminary. A final count will be posted after nesting season is complete and data have been thoroughly reviewed.

Final count (posted Nov. 11, 2016)

• April 24-April 30
• May 1-May 7
• May 8-May 14
• May 15-May 21
• May 22-May 28
• May 29-June 4
• June 5-June 11
• June 12-June 18
• June 19-June 25
• June 26-July 2
• July 3-July 9
• July 10-July 16
• July 17-July 23
• July 24-July 30 (*Siesta Key broke previous record of 408 in 2015.)
• July 31- August 6
• August 7- August 13
• August 14- August 20
• August 21- August 27
• August 28- September 3
• September 4- September 10
• September 11- September 17
• September 18- September 24

• April 26-May 2
• May 3-May 9
• May 10-May 16
• May 17-May 23
• May 24-May 30
• May 31-June 6
• June 7- June 13
• June 14-June 20
• June 21-June 27
• June 28-July 4
• July 5-July 11
• July 12-July 18
• July 19-July 25
• July 26-August 1
• August 2-August 8
• August 9-August 15
• August 16-August 22
• August 23-August 29
• August 30-September 5
• Final 2015 Nesting Numbers

The first sea turtle nests of 2014 have been recorded, including a report that a Kemp’s ridley sea turtle — the rarest of all sea turtle species — nested on a Venice Beach.

Throughout nesting season — May 1 – Oct. 31 — Mote scientists, interns and more than 300 volunteers in Mote’s Sea Turtle Patrol document nesting every day from Longboat Key through Venice. This year marks Mote’s 33rd year of nest monitoring along 35 miles of local beaches.

The first nests in Mote’s area were found May 6, on Longboat and Casey keys and were laid by loggerhead sea turtles. Loggerheads, considered threatened under federal law, are the most common species on local beaches, followed by endangered green sea turtles. In recent years, Sarasota County has also hosted a handful of endangered Kemp’s ridleys, among the smallest and rarest sea turtles.

“We’re not too surprised that the turtles here got a slower start this year — nesting is influenced by water temperature, and the waters along our coasts have been cool lately,” said Kristen Mazzarella, senior biologist with Mote’s Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program.
“We’re starting this season on an optimistic note,” Mazzarella added. “We’ve had some very strong nest numbers in recent years, both in Mote’s patrol area and other parts of the state, and we’re excited to collect more data to see how this year stacks up.”

This year, Mote’s Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program will continue its long-term studies of local sea turtles by documenting every sea turtle nest and false crawl (when a turtle emerges but does not leave a nest) in our patrol area, marking each nest with yellow stakes and flagging tape and collecting scientific data about each nest when it is found. Mote will also collect detailed scientific data on a representative sample of nests through their hatch, allowing us to document local trends in nest success as part of the sea turtle conservation and research mission Mote has carried out for more than three decades.

This research has shown that loggerhead sea turtle nest numbers have increased locally in recent years. After reaching a low point of 735 nests in 2007, loggerhead nesting in Mote’s patrol area broke records with 2,462 nests in 2012, then had a near-record year of 2,247 in 2013. Florida’s loggerhead sea turtle nesting seems to be varying over decade-long cycles of increase and decrease. Continuing to gather local nesting data is vital for documenting population trends in sea turtles — long lived species that can take 30 years to mature.

During this time of increased local nesting, it is critically important that the public supports sea turtle research and conservation. The public can help Mote, a nonprofit, continue its long term efforts on local beaches by making a donation at https://mote.org/support.

• May 4-10
• May 11-17
• May 18-24
• May 25-31
• June 1-7
• June 8-14
• June 15-21
• June 22-28
• June 29-July 5
• July 6-July 12
• July 13-July 19
• July 20-July 26
• July 27-Aug. 2
• Aug. 3-Aug. 9
• Aug. 10-Aug. 16
• Aug. 17-Aug. 23
• Aug. 24-Aug. 30
• Aug. 31- Sept. 6

Toggle 2013 Content

Aug. 31 Update: Nesting Concludes After Breaking 31-year Record

Sea turtle nesting has concluded on beaches from Longboat Key through Venice, where nest numbers broke a 31-year record this summer, according to Mote’s Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program. Nests are now hatching, so it is important to keep local beaches clear for hatchlings trying to reach the sea.

A total 2,462 loggerhead sea turtle nests and seven of the more rare green sea turtle nests have been documented this year by Mote’s Sea Turtle Patrol — a group of scientists, interns and more than 300 volunteers who monitor 35 miles of local nesting beaches each day of nesting season, May 1-Oct. 31.

This exciting season has also brought significant challenges: Tropical Storm Debby destroyed more than 920 nests, washed away the yellow stakes used to mark many nests and depleted Mote’s supplies used to document and protect nests on local beaches. Read more about this and learn how you can help.

The table below provides a breakdown of nest numbers by beach. Totals were finalized Nov. 1, 2012.

2012 has been a notable year for loggerhead sea turtles — a threatened species whose statewide nesting numbers have generally declined since 1998, but since 2007 have seemed to be stabilizing on Florida beaches, including Mote’s patrol area.

Loggerhead nesting in Florida has gone through periods of increase and decrease lasting about a decade each — patterns that seem to be influenced by the North Atlantic Oscillation, a naturally occurring climate phenomenon that causes broad-scale weather and ocean patterns in the North Atlantic.

Even with long-term climate patterns at work, it is important to note that human activities strongly affect sea turtle nesting and survival. All sea turtle species are considered threatened or endangered and are protected by state and federal laws.

• Nesting Update: April 22-28
• Nesting Update: April 29-May 5
• Nesting Update: May 6-12
• Nesting Update: May 13-19
• Nesting Update: May 20-26
• Nesting Update: May 27-June 2
• Nesting Update: June 3-9
• Nesting Update: June 10-16
• Nesting Update: June 17-23
• Nesting Update: June 24-30 (surveys incomplete due to tropical storm Debby)
• Nesting Update: July 1-7
• Nesting Update: July 8-14
• Nesting Update: July 15-21
• Nesting Update: July 22-28
• Nesting Update: July 29-Aug. 4
• Nesting Update: Aug. 5-11
• Nesting Update: Aug.12-18

2011 Nesting Season Ends on High Note

The 2011 sea turtle nesting season has been strong from from Longboat Key through Venice, according to Mote’s Sea Turtle Patrol — a group of Mote scientists, interns and nearly 300 volunteers who monitor sea turtle nesting each day during nesting season, May 1 through Oct. 31, on 35 miles of local beaches.

Turtle Patrollers reported 1,291 sea turtle nests in 2011 — the highest total for Mote’s area since 2003. Even though a single year can’t tell us the overall trend, this year ended on an optimistic note for the most common species on local beaches, loggerhead sea turtles.

Loggerheads laid 1,284 nests during 2011 in Mote’s patrol area. Loggerheads are a threatened species whose statewide nesting numbers have generally declined since 1998. Now, Mote’s nesting counts for loggerheads seem to be stabilizing. Also, recent research suggests that loggerhead nesting numbers may rise and fall over decade-long cycles.

The endangered green sea turtles that nest occasionally in Sarasota County also showed heathly nest numbers this year — 7 nests in Mote’s patrol area and 19 in Sarasota County as a whole. Greens follow an “every other year” pattern with a year of higher nesting counts followed by a year of lower ones. During the last “up” year, 2010, a record 38 green nests were documented in Sarasota County, which fits with positive trends around the state.

The table below shows Mote’s breakdown of 2010 nesting numbers and false crawls (when a turtle emerges but returns to sea without nesting) for each local beach.

Mote’s Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program has monitored nesting on Sarasota County beaches for more than 30 years. Mote scientists also tag nesting sea turtles for identification and satellite tracking that allows us to follow turtles as they swim hundreds of miles in the sea.

Over the years, Mote’s Sea Turtle Patrol has:

• Monitored 27,543 sea turtle nests on 35 miles of beach
• Documented 24,942 false crawls (adult females that return to sea without nesting)
• Protected 5,388 nests from predators
• Tagged 4,038 nesting turtles
• Protected 2,088,865 turtle eggs
• Documented the births of 1,499,946 sea turtle hatchlings
• Nesting Update: May 1-7
• Nesting Update: May 8-14
• Nesting Update: May 15-21
• Nesting Update: May 22-28
• Nesting Update: May 29-June 4
• Nesting Update: June 5-11
• Nesting Update: June 12-18
• Nesting Update: June 19-25
• Nesting Update: June 26-July 2
• Nesting Update: July 3-9
• Nesting Update: July 10-16
• Nesting Update: July 17-23
• Nesting Update: July 24-30
• Nesting Update: July 31-Aug. 6
• Nesting Update: Aug. 7-13
• Nesting Update: Aug. 14-20
• Nesting Update: Aug. 21-27
• Nesting Update: Aug. 28-Sept. 3

Productive Nesting Season for 2010

Sea turtle nesting season ended on a high note in 2010 at local beaches monitored by Mote, with the highest nest count in nine years for loggerhead sea turtles and a record-breaking count for green sea turtles in Sarasota County.
This year’s high counts by Mote parallel nesting numbers statewide. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the species that regularly nest in Florida had much higher nest counts this year than they averaged over the past 10 years.

This year’s increase might be part of a turnaround for loggerheads, a threatened species whose nesting declined severely for about a decade on Florida beaches before turning upward in 2008. “The 2010 turtle season was encouraging, especially for loggerheads,” said Dr. Tony Tucker, Manager of Mote’s Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program. “After a decade of decline for loggerheads locally and statewide, 2008 gave us some hope and the 2010 season was even better. We hope this trend will continue in the years to come.”

Statewide and in Sarasota, the number of green sea turtles nesting each year is also growing.
Local nests are monitored closely by Mote Marine Laboratory’s Sea Turtle Patrol, a group of Mote scientists, interns and more than 250 volunteers who monitor nesting each day during nesting season, May 1 – Oct. 31, on 35 miles of Sarasota County beaches.
In 2010, Turtle Patrollers from Venice through Longboat Key found that:

• Loggerhead sea turtles laid 1,243 nests in 2010, compared to 952 nests in 2009 and 1,148 nests in 2008.
• Green sea turtles laid 14 nests this year in Mote’s patrol area, contributing to a new record of 40 overall for Sarasota County in 2010. Greens typically follow an “every-other-year” nesting pattern, with a year of higher nesting counts followed by a year of lower ones.
• One nest was laid by a Kemp’s ridley sea turtle, a species that rarely nests in Southwest Florida. Kemp’s ridleys mainly nest on the beaches of Rancho Nuevo, Mexico and Padre Island National Seashore, Texas.

The table below shows Mote’s breakdown of 2010 nesting numbers for each local beach: 

Even after a promising year, remember that all sea turtle species are threatened or endangered and they need our help to survive. Page down for a list of turtle-friendly dos and don’ts to keep in mind for nesting season 2011.

Update: Sept.5-Sept.11: No new nests or false crawls this week.

• Nesting Update: Aug. 1-Aug. 7
• Nesting Update: July 25-July 31
• Nesting Update: July 18 – July 24 
• Nesting Update: July 11-July 17
• Nesting Update: July 4-July 10 
• Nesting Update: June 27-July 3
• Nesting Update: June 20-June 26
• Nesting Update: June 13-June 19
• Nesting Update: June 6-June 12
• Nesting Update: May 30-June 5
• Nesting Update: May 23-May 29
• Nesting Update: May 16-May 22, 2010
• Nesting Update: May 9-May 15, 2010 
• Nesting Update: May 2-May 8, 2010

Nesting done, hatchlings hit the waves

A loggerhead sea turtle laid this year’s final nest on Aug. 23 on Casey Key. It’s been an exciting season for the 35 miles of nesting beaches monitored by Mote staff, interns and volunteers. Our team found three nests laid by an endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle, one of the smallest and rarest sea turtle species. They’re the first Kemp’s nests confirmed in our area since 1999.
This year, our beaches hosted 952 loggerhead nests and 8 green sea turtle nests, compared with 1,127 loggerhead nests and 3 green nests in 2008.

“Loggerhead nest numbers are down a little from last year, but a good number of hatchlings are reaching the water because we’ve had fewer storms,” said Tony Tucker, manager of Mote’s Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program.
“There’s still room for improvement, though – many hatchlings lost their way to the water this year because of disorientation by artificial lights on the beach. Mote scientists hope that management measures in place for 2010 will curb this problem.”
Coastal residents, business owners and visitors should remember to keep beaches turtle friendly as hatchlings emerge from the sand and head for the water. Below, we have a list of common dos and don’ts that you can arm yourself with to make sure you’re a good neighbor to our seaward residents.

Turtle Nesting Activity and Cumulative Totals 

Nesting Update: May 3-May 9
Nesting Update: May 10-May 16
Nesting Update: May 17-May 23
Nesting Update: May 24-May 30
Nesting Update: May 31-June 6
Nesting Update: June 7-June 13
Nesting Update: June 14-June 20
Nesting Update: June 21-June 27
Nesting Update: June 28-July 4
Nesting Update: July 5-July 11
Nesting Update: July 12-July 18
Nesting Update: July 19-July 25
Nesting Update: July 26-August 1
Nesting Update: August 2-August 8
Nesting Update: August 9-August 15
Nesting Update: August 16-August 22
Final Nesting Update: August 23-August 29

Sea turtle nesting season has begun! Mote’s team of staff and volunteers officially started monitoring beaches May 1 and will continue to monitor beaches through October.

Coastal residents, business owners and visitors should remember that you really can make a difference and help sea turtles during their annual migration to nesting beaches. Page down for a list of common dos and don’ts to arm yourself with this nesting season.

On June 30, 2008, Turtle Patrol volunteers reported the first nest hatch of the season! The nest was laid May 8 on Siesta Key. Says the Turtle Patrol Coordinators: Let’s keep a close eye on those nests!

Here’s a summary of the action for 2008. Check back weekly for updates.

Click here for information about the effects of Hurricane Gustav on the season’s nests.

Turtle Nesting Activity and cumulative totals

8-24-08 through 8-30-08, and 8-24-07 through 8-30-07
8-10-08 through 8-16-08, and 8-10-07 through 8-16-07
8-3-08 through 8-9-08, and 8-3-07 through 8-9-07
7-26-08 through 8-2-08, and 7-26-07 through 8-2-07
7-20-08 through 7-26-08, and 7-20-07 through 7-26-07
7-13-08 through 7-19-08, and 7-13-07 through 7-19-07
7-6-08 through 7-12-08, and 7-6-07 through 7-12-07
6-29-08 through 7-5-08, and 6-29-07 through 7-5-07
6-22-08 through 6-28-08, and 6-22-07 through 6-28-07
6-15-08 through 6-21-08, and 6-15-07 through 6-21-07
6-8-08 through 6-14-08, and 6-8-07 through 6-14-07
6-1-08 through 6-7-08, and 6-1-07 through 6-6-07

Turtle nesting season along Florida beaches begins May 1 and ends October 31.

2007 Season Totals, loggerhead (green)
Location Total – nests/false crawls 

Longboat (Manatee) – 75/104

Longboat ( Sarasota) –  67(2 green)/89 (1 green)

Lido – 33/36 (2 green)

Siesta –  68/201

Casey – 330 (10 green)/487 (10 green)

Venice – 162 (2 green)/193 (2 green)

Total –  735 (14 green)/1,110 (15 green)

2006 Season Totals, loggerhead (green)
Location Total – nests/false crawls

Longboat (Manatee) – 73/82

Longboat ( Sarasota ) – 87/76

Lido –  24/35

Siesta – 117/78

Casey – 432/304

Venice –  173/110

Total (loggerhead): 906/685 1011/1217

2005 Season Totals, loggerhead (green)
Location – Total green nests/false crawls

Longboat (Manatee) – 76/104
Longboat ( Sarasota ) –  75/88

Lido – 27/25
Siesta – 153 (1 green)/198
Casey – 485 (8 green)/571 (6 green)

Venice – 195/231 (1 green)

Total (green): 0/0 9/7