06/24/2025
We got a call late last night from the Key West Wildlife Center about 15 newly hatched turtles trapped in a storm drain. Our staff, along with KWWC, the Save-A-Turtle volunteers and Key West Police, were quick to the scene. All told, 19 babies were rescued and released in the ocean.
Summer is peak season for turtle nesting and hatching!
Hatchlings naturally run toward light, so we're asking that anyone living near the beach turn off the outdoor lighting and close your shades or curtains if at all possible. If the lights cannot be completely doused, try shielding them so that they don't shine toward the beach. Baby turtles are drawn to light after they hatch from their sandy nests. Porch lights can be fatal to these hatchlings.
Key West's beaches are closed to the public each night at 11 p.m., and this time of year it's vital that people heed the law. April 15th through October 31st is turtle nesting season -- that time of year when these magnificent creatures crawl up out of the sea to deposit their eggs in the sand.
