River soil harming, killing turtles at Mickler's Landing

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — A local sea turtle group says some material used to re-nourish dunes are harming turtles!

The Mickler’s Landing Turtle Patrol in Ponte Vedra Beach says  some homeowners use river soil instead of sand.

Action News Jax Courtney Cole spoke to Nancy Condron with Mickler’s Landing Turtle Patrol to learn how it's affecting the turtle population.

Seventeen turtle hatchlings.

Twenty-two pips -- all died.

(Cordon described “pips” to Cole as hatchlings that are half-way hatched out of the shell.)

And it’s all because they got stuck in river soil.

River soil is dirt that’s dredged from the bottom of the St. Johns River—and placed on the beach to

re-construct the dunes.

"The state allowed people to bring it on [the beach] after Hurricane Matthew and then again after Hurricane Irma,” said Nancy Condron.

Condron is the Permit Holder for Mickler’s Landing Turtle Patrol.

Condron explained to Cole the problem with the river dirt is how much clay is in it.

"It holds water and compacts very hard...and when turtles lay their nest in it—it's a recipe for disaster, because the turtles,  they can't all get out,” said Condron.

That's why Condron, along with other members of the patrol, moved the nest to a new spot on Monday.

But when Cole and Condron returned to the that same spot on Monday afternoon, it appears that something else dug up the nest.

This what appears to be claw marks and you can see shells here left behind.

There appears to be claw marks and paw prints left behind in the sand and dirt.

“First we thought it was dogs that dug it up...then we were thinking coyotes. Now we're venturing into the bobcat, panther area,” said Condron.

While Condron says they can't control the wildlife, she is asking her neighbors not to use "dirt" to

re-nourish the dunes...for the sake of the turtles.

Instead, she’s asking her neighbors to make the investment and use real sand.

“There are sand mines, from which you can get real sand to do the same thing...but in the long run—it's worth it. The plants will grow better in it, the animals will survive it. Gopher tortoises will be able to dig through it,” Condron told Action News Jax.

Condron says this is the only nest that's been embedded in the river dirt so far this year...but with your help, she hopes it can be the last.

Turtle nesting season continues through October 31.

Cox Media Group