Sea turtle nests head to Kennedy Space Center Florida Sea Grant
Extension Agent The Deepwater Horizon oil spill resulted in an
unprecedented sea turtle nest relocation program that moved
nests from Alabama and the Florida Panhandle to the Kennedy
Space Center. Over 250 nests were moved to a climate controlled
warehouse for incubation and release of the hatchlings into the
Atlantic Ocean to avoid the oil in the Gulf of Mexico.
Biologists excavate and carefully remove eggs from a nest. Photo
Credits: Melanie Waite All four species of sea turtles that nest
along the northern Gulf coast are considered threatened or
endangered. Beginning in May, female turtles crawl up on the
beach, bury their eggs, and then leave the eggs to incubate and
hatch on their own. Nest often have over 100 eggs and will
incubate for about 60 days. Hatchlings then dig their way out,
crawl into the Gulf, and swim offshore to find floating mats of
seaweed where they may live for many years. Sea Grant Extension
agent Andrew Diller helped loa