Jekyll Island sees first sea turtle hatchlings

Jekyll Island saw its first set of sea turtle hatchlings Wednesday.

Sea Turtle Patrol members counted more than 50 tracks leading away from the first nest of the season.

The Georgia Sea Turtle Center said the female who laid the nest on Jekyll also nested on Wassaw, Ossabaw, and St. Catherine's Island this season, so the babies will have siblings all over the coast.

Many areas along Jacksonville's coast have seen a record number of sea turtle nests this season.

Micklers Landing Turtle Patrol has counted 101 nests, which group leaders say they've never come close to before.

They are expecting their first emergence any day now. They are encouraging people to stay off the beach at night.

According to FWC, sea turtle eggs have an incubation period of about two months.

Sea turtles annually make between 40,000 and 84,000 nests along Florida's coast.

Five species of sea turtles can be found in Florida:

Hawksbill Turtle
Kemp's ridley
Loggerhead Turtle
Leatherback Turtle
Green Turtle

You can learn more on FWC's website.

Cox Media Group