Beach Patrol

Meet two members of the Brevard County Beach Patrol. Every morning,
starting at sunrise, they look for turtle tracks leading from the
water's edge up to the dunes, and back down. When they find tracks,
their next step is to verify that a nest exists, and that eggs have
been deposited. That means digging, by hand, carefully and slowly.

Eggs may be found two to three feet below the surface, and there may
be from 50 to 200 eggs, depending on the species. If eggs are found,
the nest is marked and counted. Of great importance is whether the nest
is thought to be that of a loggerhead or a green turtle, which is now
endangered. Satisfied that a nest does exist, the Beach Patrol moves on.



Every year from May until October, hundreds of sea turtles make nests on
our Space Coast beaches. If you would like more information on them,
their nesting habits, or would like to volunteer with one of the groups
that work to protect sea turtles, visit www.seaturtlespacecoast.org.