75 lost baby sea turtles rescued by Florida deputies

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. - When dozens of young turtle hatchlings were seen making their way away from the ocean, some Volusia County deputies stepped in to help.

What we know:

Overnight, deputies helped collect roughly 75 young sea turtles who were trying to climb up a beach approach instead of making their way towards the ocean, VSO said in a Facebook post.

The deputies contacted the County of Volusia and helped gather the baby turtles.  All of them were then released into the ocean.  

Photos: 75 precious baby turtles saved by deputies

How do these little baby turtles get lost?

Because baby turtles orient themselves towards the brightest lights – normally moonlight reflecting off the ocean – artificial lights like porch lamps, streetlights, and beach fires can confuse their instincts, according to SeaWorld and the FWC. Instead of reaching the sea, the confusion can cause hatchlings to crawl inland near streets and parking lots.

Sea turtles and Florida

According to the FWC:

• Sea turtles typically make between 40,000 and 84,000 nests along the beaches.
• Females nest every 2-3 years, and can lay 80-120 eggs in each nest.
• There are five sea turtle species in Florida: Hawksbill Turtle, Kemp's ridley, Loggerhead Turtle, Leatherback Turtle, and Green turtle.
• One in 1,000 young sea turtles make it to adulthood.

What you can do to protect new hatchlings:

What you can do:

The National Ocean Service has shared that small things can make a big difference to these little ones first steps. You can help by:

• Filling in any sand holes on the beach so they don't get trapped
• Removing obstacles like trash, sandcastles, and beach chairs.
• Following turtle-friendly lighting guidelines provided by the FWC.
• Keeping a gentle, safe distance from sea turtle nests.

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