Beachgoers Asked To Help Protect Baby Sea Turtles on Fort Myers Beach

Baby turtles crawling from their nests to the sea face mounting risks on Fort Myers Beach. Sand holes, bright lights, and building work block their path to water.

"Kids and adults love to build sandcastles at the beach. They love to bury each other in the sand. Dig big holes, which is fine and great. Still, we need to remember to fill those holes in at the end, whenever we're done, whenever we're heading home, packing up, and also to destroy all those sandcastles, because any little bump in the sand or any big divot in the sand is harmful for a hatchling," said Celine Marx, founder of Southwest Florida Sea Turtle Rescue, according to WINK News.

This season shows a drop in hatchlings reaching the water safely. Marx points to three main threats: beach lights that confuse the tiny turtles, ongoing work sites, and damaged nests from beach activities.

Beach visitor Terry Carner learned about light effects during his stay. "So we had all these flashlights, and then we read that, and we're like, no, flashlights. Don't even get them out," said Carner. "We didn't know we had to shut the blinds and the curtains. And then we start, you know, TURN OFF THE LIGHTS SHUT THE CURTAIN!"

Groups working to save the turtles ask beach visitors to follow basic steps. Keep away from nest markers. Skip the flash photos. Switch off beach-facing lights.

Small acts make big impacts on turtle survival rates, according to the rescue team. Marx's staff teaches visitors ways to keep hatchlings safe as they head to sea.