Record had stood for 35 years, Mote scientists say
Sea-turtle nesting season “wrapped up with a major record” for Mote Marine-monitored beaches from Longboat Key south to Venice, Mote has announced.
By the end of nesting season — May 1 through Oct. 31, 2016 — Mote scientists had tallied 4,588 nests, a news release says. That broke the 35-year record for these Southwest Florida beaches, the release noted.
Mote’s Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program has coordinated conservation of sea turtles for 35 years from Longboat Key to Venice, the release added. “Mote’s data are available for resource managers working to understand and protect sea turtle populations,” it notes.
Nest counts from recent years are available online for interested persons.
Mote also has offered its appreciation to the Longboat Key Turtle Watch for donating $8,405 to Mote’s sea turtle and education programs in December 2016, the release adds.