Bit of Joy
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Baby sea turtles head home to the ocean. | FWC Fish & Wildlife Research Institute

BIT OF JOY | A sea turtle record

By Heather Henderson
Published on July 23, 2025 at 11:43 am
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Sea turtle nesting season is in full swing, and the Florida Fish & Wildlife Research Institute is reporting some promising news. As of June 30, the organization recorded 1,960 leatherback sea turtle nests statewide — the highest number ever found in Florida, breaking the previous record set in 2022. That’s as the leatherback population has been declining around the world. The number of green turtle nests is also way up compared to last year. Duval’s Beaches Sea Turtle Patrol says 747 baby turtles have hatched so far. In St. Johns County, 3,406 babies have emerged.

 

author image Newsletter Writer email Heather Henderson is a writer, editor and artist who has lived in Jax for close to 20 years. She has a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of North Florida.

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