First Sea Turtle Nest of Season Hatches in Wake of Debby

Nest No. 5 on Sand Key is one of many .

Turns out, the nest is the first to offer sea turtle hatchlings this season.

Thirteen tiny sea turtles marched to the sea in the early dawn hours of Saturday, July 7, according to Krista Rosado, spokeswoman for the , which monitors sea turtle nesting along 26 miles of Pinellas Beaches.

“We weren’t sure if (the nest) lost them all or not,” Rosado said.

Nearly all sea turtle nests were thought to be wiped out. Many eggs from nest No. 5 were washed out. Of the 125 eggs laid in it, only 13 hatched, and really the effects of Debby will not be known until the end of the nesting season, Rosado said.

There usually can be up to . Already there were that many nests through June before Debby brought heavy rainfall and rising tides to Clearwater.

It still is one of the most active nesting seasons in recent history. Since Debby passed June 24, sea turtle nests have rebounded. In the last week, 36 new nests were located, increasing the active nest number to 61, Rosado said.

Monitoring those nests is an important aspect of the season. The 26 miles of beach that Clearwater Marine Aquarium employees and volunteers monitor is divided between two vehicles, .

The and now needs another. Without it, they must walk the beaches, adding hours onto the daily routine and limiting the ability to protect these endangered species.

“We’re in the full throes of (the nesting season), and we need a truck bad,” Rosado said.

To help, contact the aquarium at 727-441-1790.