Loggerhead nesting in Florida down by nearly half in 10 years

From a story on Central Florida News 13:

BREVARD COUNTY -- Loggerhead sea turtle nesting in Florida has dropped 41 percent the last 10 years, according to new numbers from Florida Fish and Wildlife.

The largest concentration of loggerheads in the U.S. is in Brevard County, at the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge, south of Melbourne Beach.

Since 1998, the loggerhead population has dropped from near 60,000 to less than 30,000 in 2008.

Though there was a spike in the population last year, Florida Fish and Wildlife said not to be fooled by those numbers, as the trend was that the numbers were dropping.

Researchers said they were not sure what was causing the population drop, saying that it could be anything from lights on the beach to beach erosion projects, or even something far out to the sea over which the state has no control.

From an account by Kirsten Dahlen, who took the photo, says that the nesting loggerhead was disoriented by street lights:

I received a call . . . about an adult sea turtle trying to cross the road on Pensacola Beach. As a sea turtle expert responsible for much of the sea turtle nesting and stranding on Santa Rosa Island, I had to respond. A beach resident helped me drag this 300 pound animal (on a tarp) off the street, over the dunes and back to the Gulf beach. She was lucky to be discovered before morning rush hour!

Photo credit: Kirsten Dahlen 2008/Marine Photobank.