Sea turtle nesting season started early this year and some believe the warm Gulf temperatures may be the reason. Collier County’s Principal Environmental Specialist Maura Kraus recorded the first nests beginning April 21. Barefoot Beach, Parkshore and Marco Island all had visible nesting sites earlier than last year.
Charles Gunnels, associate professor of animal behavior at Florida Gulf Coast University, said early nesting due to warming temperatures could be a bit of a double-edged sword. On one hand, rising air and sea surface temperatures could be an indicator of climate change, but early nesting could indicate that sea turtles are properly responding to the changes. “What is clear is that these hotter air temperatures increase the temperature of beaches and increased beach temperature affects the offspring as they become female biased,” he said. Warmer temperatures means more females hatching and fewer males.
“Turtles are very sensitive to people and folks could cause turtles to go back in the water,” Kraus said. “If it happens enough, turtles could drop their clutch at sea.”
Source: Daily Naples News
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