ORLANDO, Fla. — As thousands of Floridians head to the beach for the Fourth of July holiday, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is reminding visitors that sea turtle and shorebird nesting season is still underway.
The agency is urging beachgoers to leave personal fireworks at home and attend professional displays instead. Officials say bright lights and loud noises from fireworks can disorient nesting sea turtles, hatchlings and nesting birds.
FWC also encourages visitors to clean up before leaving the beach by properly disposing of trash, filling in holes in the sand and removing beach chairs, toys and other equipment. These obstacles can prevent sea turtles from nesting and make it harder for hatchlings to reach the ocean.
Officials are also asking people to avoid using flashlights, cell phone lights and camera flashes on the beach after dark, as artificial light can cause hatchlings to crawl away from the water.
Anyone who encounters a nesting sea turtle should stay at least 50 feet away and avoid disturbing the animal. FWC reminds the public that sea turtles, their nests and hatchlings are protected by law.
Beachgoers are also encouraged to stay at least 300 feet away from nesting shorebirds and seabirds, obey posted nesting area closures and keep pets on a leash and away from wildlife.
FWC asks anyone who finds an injured, distressed or dead sea turtle to report it to the agency’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).
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