670-plus sea turtle nests documented on islands
The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) reported that its sea turtle team had documented a total of 664 loggerhead and seven green sea turtle nests on the islands for this season as of June 17.
The total numbers were up from last year’s 450 loggerhead nests and six green nests to date.
The number of nests depredated by coyotes this year was 113, or 16.8% — down from 143, or 31.4%, depredations to date in 2025.
Nest counts by island
– Captiva: 136 nests, of which 36 were depredated
– Sanibel: 535 nests, of which 77 were depredated
MORE TURTLES SATELLITE-TAGGED
On June 16, the SCCF reported that its night-tagging team had added two more loggerheads to the Sea Turtle Tracking Portal over the past two weeks.
– Reina del Marisol
In the late evening on June 3, the team encountered a female adult loggerhead nesting on the east end of Sanibel that had previously been encountered twice on the island. She was first tagged in June 2016, and then was seen again nesting in June 2022. Her satellite tag was sponsored by the students of Naples-based Parkside Elementary School through its Parkside Everglades Week, which was launched four years ago. By sponsoring it, they were given the chance to name the turtle Reina del Marisol.
– Aidan
Late in the evening on June 10, the team encountered a female loggerhead nesting on the west end of Sanibel. It was the seventh time she had been encountered on the island. First tagged in June 2024, she was later seen twice again in July 2024. She returned this season and has been seen four times so far. Aidan’s satellite tag was sponsored by John and Kathy McCabe.
To view the portal, visit https://sccf.hammerhead360.com/.
DEATH OF ‘PAT BENATAR’ TURTLE
The SCCF reported that its turtle team responded to a report of a deceased loggerhead on May 27 that had washed ashore on Captiva. It had injuries consistent with blunt force trauma caused by a vessel strike.
“Sadly, when we examined the turtle, we discovered she had flipper tags and a microchip. Further investigation revealed she was one of our own nesting females — a loggerhead we had tagged on Sanibel and had observed nesting just 15 days earlier,” sea turtle biologist Savannah Weber said.
The turtle was first documented by the night-tagging team in May 2023. That season’s naming theme honored famous female singers, and she was given the name “Pat Benatar” because of her small size and spunky attitude. Pat quickly became a familiar turtle as she was encountered eight times, making her one of the most frequently encountered ones of 2023.
The team was thrilled to see her return this year on May 12 when they encountered her as she laid what would become her final known nest.
“As we watched her lay her eggs and make her way back to the ocean, I thought to myself, ‘Bye Pat, I hope to see you again when you come back to lay another nest.’ Sadly, the next time I saw her, she had washed ashore deceased, with severe injuries consistent with a vessel strike,” she said.
For the team members who spend long nights on the beach, the turtles become more than data points.
“We watch them return year after year, witness their nesting journeys and celebrate their contributions to future generations. Losing one is always difficult,” Weber said.
The SCCF noted that Pat’s story serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of responsible boating. Sea turtles must surface regularly to breathe, making them vulnerable to vessel strikes in coastal waters.
Boaters can help protect sea turtles by obeying reduced-speed and no-wake zones, wearing polarized sunglasses to improve visibility, staying alert for wildlife at the surface, and assigning a dedicated spotter whenever possible.
Although Pat’s life ended too soon, she was able to lay at least one nest this season before her passing.
The team has been carefully monitoring the nest and hopes it will produce healthy hatchlings this summer. In that way, Pat’s legacy lives on — not only through the data she provided during her years on the local beaches, but through the next generation of sea turtles she helped bring into the world.
To report issues related to nests, nesting turtles or hatchlings, call the SCCF Sea Turtle Hotline at 978-728-3663.