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Green Turtle Nesting In Florida

Green turtle nesting in Florida occurs from June through late September. Every two or three years, a female will return to her nesting beach and lay an average of three to five egg clutches in a season. They can lay as many as 10 clutches, with about 12 days between each nesting. The average number of eggs in a clutch is about 115.

The shell of an adult green turtle is olive-brown in color with dark streaks and spots. Its name is derived not from the color of its shell, but from the greenish color of its body fat. These sea turtles can weigh up to 300 pounds and reach 3.3 feet in length.

Although nesting activity has been recorded in almost every coastal county in Florida, most green turtle nesting is concentrated along the southeast coast of Florida.

As you can see from the graph below, there is a clear pattern of alternating high and low years. For example, over the 1,323 km surveyed in 2006, there were 4,970 reported green turtle nests. In contrast, during the 2007 season there were 12,752 green turtle nests reported in Florida over a surveyed area of 1,309 km.

Click on the link below to view a table containing nesting data for green turtles over the past 17 years. View Table of Statewide Green Turtle Nests