![]() ![]() If you’re lucky, you may spot one of the rarest species during your stay, the Kemp’s Ridley. The most common species of sea turtles in Florida are Leatherbacks, Loggerheads, Green Turtles, and one of the smallest, the Hawksbill. The eggs will incubate in their egg chamber for about two months before the hatchlings dig their way out and move to the ocean, where they will spend the majority of their lives. The whole process takes between 30 and 60 minutes. Before the mother returns to the ocean, she will camouflage her nest, which is also called a clutch, by throwing dry sand on top of it to conceal the area. Depending on the species, sea turtles lay between 50 (Flatback Turtles) and 200 ping pong-sized eggs (Hawksbill Turtles).Īfter the sea turtle has laid her eggs, she will fill both the egg chamber and the body pit with sand. Once she’s fully submerged in her body pit, she’ll use her rear flippers to dig a chamber in which she’ll lay her eggs. When she’s chosen a nesting site, she will dig a hole that can fit her entire body using all her four flippers. The female usually comes ashore during nighttime and tries to find a quiet and dark spot where she deems her eggs safe. The nesting process of a sea turtle is an interesting one which is why it’s such a popular attraction in South Florida. Sea turtles are reptiles and only come ashore to bask (raise their body temperature in the sun) and nest.
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