An environmental group that advocates for the Alabama Gulf Coast is asking for help to protect endangered sea turtles and their nests. The Alabama Coastal Foundation (ACF) is working to protect the remaining sea turtle nest that remain along the Alabama coast after a series of severe storms washed them away last month.
The nonprofit is home to the Share the Beach program where volunteers are trained to mark sea turtle nest on the beaches so the animals can be protected. The ACF reports lot of the stakes that were mounted in the sand around the nest were washed away from recent storms along with the nest from the flooding.
“So as of now, we have about 50 nests that have been laid by sea turtles in Alabama,” said Mark Berte, executive director of the ACF. “We've had several storms, unfortunately, come and wash away several of those nests, but there was some good news. One of the nests we thought was completely washed away did have some hatchlings come.”
The organization is now asking Alabamians to help donate supplies to use to remark the remaining nest. The ACF is also asking coastal locals and visitors to take in trash from the beach, fill in holes in the sand and knock down sandcastles at night to ensure that sea turtle hatchlings can make it into the ocean.
“Sea turtle season starts in May, but the most active month is typically July. So, this is a great time to come to the coast and to be able to experience that once in a lifetime opportunity,” said Berte. “But when you do, you're supposed to stay back, stay low and stay quiet to let Mother Nature help to lay the nest and then make her way back into the Gulf of Mexico.”
Visitors who may come across unmarked sea turtle nests are encouraged to call the Sea Turtle Hotline at 1-866-732-8878. The ACF also recommends beach goers to use a sea turtle-friendly flashlight to prevent hatchlings from becoming disoriented by the bright lights, especially typical white lights emitted by standard flashlights.
“If they ever see a sea turtle come up on the beach, they there are three things they really need to do. They have to stay back, stay low and stay quiet so that the sea turtle can lay her nest and then go back into the Gulf of Mexico. Once that happens, they can call our sea turtle hotline to let us know the location,” said Berte.
The Alabama Coastal Foundation (ACF) was founded in 1993 to improve and protect Alabama's coastal environment through cooperation, education and participation. For the past three decades, ACF has promoted a culture where environmental decisions are based on an accurate understanding of the underlying science. More on their sea turtle nesting updates can be found in the organization’s July 2024 newsletter.
